Wednesday

Krishna Will Hear Everyones Prayer

A widow from a poor village in Bengal did not have enough money to pay for her son’s bus fare, and so when the boy started going to school, he would have to walk through the forest all on his own. In order to reassure him, she said:

‘Don’t be afraid of the forest, my son. Ask your God Krishna to go with you. He will hear your prayer.’

The boy followed his mother’s suggestion, and Krishna duly appeared and from then on accompanied him to school every day.

When it was his teacher’s birthday, the boy asked his mother for some money in order to buy him a present.

‘We haven’t any money, son. Ask your brother Krishna to get you a present.’

The following day, the boy explained his problem to Krishna, who gave him a jug of milk.

The boy proudly handed the milk to the teacher, but the other boys’ presents were far superior and the teacher didn’t even notice his.

‘Take that jug of milk to the kitchen,’ said the teacher to an assistant.

The assistant did as he was told. However, when he tried to empty the jug, he found that it immediately filled up again of its own accord. He immediately informed the teacher, who was amazed and asked the boy:

‘Where did you get that jug and how does it manage to stay full all the time?’

‘Krishna, the God of the forest, gave it to me.’

The teacher, the students and the assistant all burst out laughing.

‘There are no gods in the forest, that’s pure superstition,’ said the teacher. ‘If he exists, let’s all go and see him.’

The whole group set off. The boy started calling for Krishna, but he did not appear. The boy made one last desperate appeal.

‘Brother Krishna, my teacher wants to see you. Please show yourself!’

At that moment, a voice emerged from the forest and echoed through the city and was heard by everyone.

‘How can he possibly want to see me, my son? He doesn’t even believe I exist!’

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Art Of Listening

The wise man, Saadi of Shiraz, was walking along a road with his disciple when he saw a man trying to get his mule to move. When the animal refused to budge, the man began calling him the worst names he could think of.

‘Don’t be silly,’ said Saadi. ‘The mule will never learn your language. You would do better to calm down and learn his language.’

And as he walked away, he remarked to his disciple:

‘Before you get into an argument with a mule, remember the scene you have just witnessed.’

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Patience....

The mystic Ramakrishna began his dedication to the spiritual life when he was sixteen. At first, he used to weep bitterly because, despite his devotion to the work at the temple, he seemed to be getting nowhere.

Later, when he was famous, a friend asked him about that period of his life. Ramakrishna replied:

‘If a thief were to spend the night in a room with only a thin wall separating him from another room full of gold, do you think he would be able to sleep? He would lie awake all night, scheming. When I was young, I desired God as ardently as a thief would desire that gold, and it took me a long time to learn that the greatest virtue in the spiritual search is patience.’

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

I Am Guilty..

Wise King Weng asked to visit the palace prison. And he began listening to the prisoners’ complaints.

‘I’m innocent,’ said a man accused of murder. ‘I’m here simply because I wanted to give my wife a fright, but I accidentally killed her.’

‘I was accused of taking a bribe,’ said another, ‘but all I did was accept a gift.’

All the prisoners declared their innocence to King Weng, until one of them, a young man of only twenty or so, said:

‘I’m guilty. I wounded my brother in a fight and I deserve to be punished. This place has made me reflect on the pain I caused.’

‘Remove this criminal from the prison immediately!’ cried King Weng. ‘He’ll end up corrupting all these entirely innocent men.’

Whats The Right Price ?

Nixivan had invited his friends to supper and was cooking a succulent piece of meat for them. Suddenly, he realised that he had run out of salt.

So Nixivan called to his son.

‘Go to the village and buy some salt, but pay a fair price for it: neither too much nor too little.’

His son was surprised.

‘I can understand why I shouldn’t pay too much for it, Father, but if I can bargain them down, why not save a bit of money?’

‘That would be the sensible thing to do in a big city, but it could destroy a small village like ours.’

When Nixivan’s guests, who had overheard their conversation, wanted to know why they should not buy salt more cheaply if they could, Nixivan replied:

‘The only reason a man would sell salt more cheaply than usual would be because he was desperate for money. And anyone who took advantage of that situation would be showing a lack of respect for the sweat and struggle of the man who laboured to produce it.’

‘But such a small thing couldn’t possibly destroy a village.’

‘In the beginning, there was only a small amount of injustice abroad in the world, but everyone who came afterwards added their portion, always thinking that it was only very small and unimportant, and look where we have ended up today.’ Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Tuesday

Goodness of Clove.

This unopened flower bud of a tropical tree, native of Indonesia, is also offered to local deities. When fresh, the clove is pink and turns rust-brown when dried. It is called 'lavang' in Hindi. The curative properties of clove and its oil are legendary. Clove oil, applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, relieves toothache. The oil is used to treat skin disorders such as acne, pimples, and severe burns.

Clove-infused water is used to treat stomach upsets, nausea and diarrhoea. Folklore says that sucking two whole cloves without chewing or swallowing them helps to curb the desire for alcohol.

Cloves were traded by Arabs in the Middle Ages as part of their buying and selling on the profitable Indian Ocean trade route. That's how it happened to reach Europe and beyond. Cloves, along with nutmeg and pepper, were highly prized in Roman times, and Pliny the Elder once famously complained that "there is no year in which India does not drain the Roman Empire of fifty million sesterces."

At Christmas time, cloves are pressed into an apple or the peel of an orange and used as a warm-smelling adornment in the kitchen or elsewhere in the house. Clove oil warmed in oil burners gives an aromatic holiday scent to a room.

Clove, as a herb or an essential oil, is also used to treat magic spells and matters related to Jupiter — growth, legal matters, meditation, money, prosperity, settling legal matters, and spirituality.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Am I Suffering cause of my Past Present or Future??

There are three types of karma. Sanchit karma is the total accumulated stock of one's past karmas. Prarabdha karma -- what we call as destiny -- is that part of sanchit karma which is passed down to us in this birth for suffering or enjoyment. And then there is Agami karma which is performed in this birth, out of free will.

There is the example of the bow and arrow in archery. The accumulated stock of arrows in the archer's case slung over his shoulder is the Sanchit karma. The arrow that has just left his bow is the Prarabdha karma and the arrow in his hand at the moment is Agami karma. He can decide not to use this arrow, or he can choose to use it either to protect the weak or to harass them. Thus while Prarabdha karma is something which cannot be undone, we have free will available in the form of Agami karma.

"But how do we know which are the karmas that form part of our destiny? Is death or major disease or wealth part of destiny? If everyone's date of death is pre-decided, what is the role of medical science?" And so on.

There is a role of both karma and free will in all aspects of life including in trying to save someone from the jaws of death. At the time of action, one should not think of one's destiny, because no one can predict it. 'Then what is the use of the theory of Prarabdha karma?"
Role of Prarabdha theory is only in explaining the results of the action. In spite of best efforts, if results could not be achieved, it can be attributed to destiny. The theory of destiny is useful because it helps a person in accepting results without being frustrated. At the same time it does not make a successful person egoistic, if he understands the role of destiny in his success.

Is it possible that even a person's free will, that is, his inclination to put in efforts to achieve something, is also influenced by destiny?

"Yes, but rarely so," He informs me. The example of Rama deciding to go after golden deer is given to explain how the course of destiny that was to happen influenced his free will.

Does this mean that sometimes karma falls flat in the face of destiny?
"No," Karma never fails, although it appears to have failed in achieving the immediate worldly ends. All karmas are in any case getting added to the stock of your Sanchit karma, out of which future results can be improved. It is like a person who wishes to remain physically fit by engaging in a match. He loses the game, but despite that, he does achieve physical fitness, points out Swamiji.

So, the moral of the story is: "Do your best always and leave the rest of God'."

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Peace Feeds Happiness

What has peace got to do with happiness? The connection is like that between life and living.

For, peace makes life worth living, and paves the way to happiness. Peace and happiness are linked so inextricably that there's no happiness without peace.

What comes first: peace or happiness? Could you be at peace if you're not happy? The answer to these questions depends on your idea of happiness...on whether you get happiness from external factors or from within.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that no man can know happiness without peace. However, to experience peace, we need to prepare ourselves to receive it; so in a way we are responsible for making peace and happiness happen. For peace and happiness to last, both ought to spring from within, regardless of any turmoil or otherwise that is happening outside. The more you internalise your feelings of peace and happiness, the more the chances are of your reaching blissful heights. Once you are able to source peace and happiness from within, you can transcend external vicissitudes to remain ever-happy and blissful.

Reverend Ernest A Fitzgerald described happiness as a 'deep sense of inner peace' that comes when you believe that you are 'making a difference for good in the world'. Thomas Jefferson, former US President, said that "it is neither wealth nor splendour, but tranquillity and occupation, that give happiness."

From a Buddhist perspective, too, one can learn that "people inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet, true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed," in the words of the Dalai Lama. The Buddha said that to "enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind."

Peace is a recurring prayer in Holy Mass celebrated by Christians. The priest chants, 'Peace be with you' and the congregation replies, 'With you also'. The congregation offers each other 'The Sign of Peace'. The mass ends with a blessing by the priest, 'Go in peace, the mass is ended.'

What, then, happens to the non-believer? Is he doomed to turmoil and unhappiness? It would be presumptuous and uncharitable to draw such a conclusion. For, there's peace in the smile of a child; there's peace in the tender touch of one's mother...it's got nothing to do with God or religion, but everything to do with the state of your mind.

Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk says that "If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work." Again, no religious strings attached to peace.

The Vedic idea of peace includes peace in all areas of life—psychological, social and environmental, for instance. The Yajur Veda declares: "Let there be peace in heaven, Let there be peace in the atmosphere, Let there be Peace on Earth... May the waters and medical herbs bring peace, May the trees give peace to all beings, May all the gods be peaceful, May the Vedas spread peace everywhere, May all other objects everywhere give us peace, And may that peace come to us and remain with us for ever."

Could there be a more sublime yet secular declaration of peace and happiness?

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Monday

The Tree That Acted Like A Hunter- Impatience

The Tree That Acted Like A Hunter- Impatience

Once upon a time, there was an antelope who lived in the deep forest. He ate the fruits that fell from the trees. There was one tree that had become his favourite.
In the same area there was a hunter who captured and killed antelopes and deer. He put down fruit as bait under a tree.

Then he waited, hiding in the branches above. He held a rope noose hanging down to the ground around the fruits. When an animal ate the fruit, the hunter tightened the noose and caught him.

Early one morning the antelope came to his favourite tree in search of fruits to eat. He did not see that the hunter was hiding in it, with his noose-trap ready. Even though he was hungry, the antelope was very careful. He was on the lookout
for any possible danger. He saw the delicious looking ripe fruits at the foot of his favourite tree.

He wondered why no animal had yet eaten any, and so he was afraid something was wrong.The hiding hunter saw the antelope approaching from a distance. Seeing him stop and take great care, he was afraid he would not be able to trap him. He was so anxious that he began throwing fruits in the direction of the antelope,trying to lure him into coming closer.

But this was a pretty smart antelope. He knew that fruits only fall straight down when they fall from trees. Since these fruits were flying towards him, he knew there was danger. So he examined the tree itself very carefully, and saw the hunter in the branches. However, he pretended not to see him.

He spoke in the direction of the tree. “Oh my dear fruit tree, you used to give me your fruits by letting them fall straight down to the ground.Now, throwing them towards me, you do not act at all like a tree! Since you have changed your habits,
I too will change mine. I will get my fruits from a different tree from now on, one that still acts like a tree!”

The hunter realized his mistake and saw that the antelope had outsmarted him. This angered him and he yelled out, “You may escape me this time, you clever antelope, but I’ll get you next time for sure!”

The antelope realized that, by getting so angry, the hunter had given himself away a second time. So he spoke in the direction of the tree again. “Not only don’t you act like a tree, but you act like a hunter! You foolish humans, who live by killing animals. You do not understand that killing the innocent brings harm also to you, both in this life and by rebirth in a hell world. It is clear that we antelopes are far wiser than you. We eat fruits, we remain innocent of killing others, and we
avoid the harmful results.”

So saying, the careful antelope leaped into the thick forest and was gone.

The moral is: The wise remain innocent and impatience does not help in reaching your goals

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Monkey King And The Water Demon -- Attentiveness

The Monkey King And The Water Demon -- Attentiveness

Once upon a time, far away in a deep forest, there was a nation of 80,000 monkeys. They had a king who was unusually large, as big as a fawn. He was not only big in body, he was also ‘large in mind’.

After all, he was the Bodhisatta –the Enlightenment Being. One day, he advised his monkey nation by saying, “My subjects, there are poisonous fruits in this deep forest, and ponds possessed by demons.

So if you see any unusual fruit or unknown pond, do not eat or drink until you ask me first.” Paying close attention to their wise king, all the monkeys agreed to follow his advice.

Later on, they came to an unknown pond.Even though they were all tired out and thirsty from searching for food, no one would drink without first asking the monkey king. So they satin the trees and on the ground around the pond.

When he arrived, the monkey king asked them, “Did anyone drink the water?” They replied,“No, your majesty, we followed your instructions.”

He said, ‘Well done.” Then he walked along the bank, around the pond. He examined the footprints of the animals that had gone into the water, and saw that none
came out again! So he realized this pond must be possessed by a water demon. He said to the 80,000 monkeys, “This pond is possessed by a water demon. Do not anybody go into it.”

After a little while, the water demon saw that none of the monkeys went into the water to drink. So he rose out of the middle of the pond,taking the shape, of a frightening monster. He had a big blue belly, a white face with bulging green
eyes, and red claws and feet. He said, “Why are you just sitting around? Come into the pond and drink at once!”

The monkey king said to the horrible monster, “Are you the water demon who owns this
pond?” “Yes, I am,” said he. “Do you eat whoever goes into the water?” asked the king. “Yes, I do,” he answered, “including even birds. I eat them all.And when you are forced by your thirst to come into the pond and drink, I will enjoy eating you,
the biggest monkey, most of all!” He grinned, and saliva dripped down his hairy chin.

But the monkey king with the well trained mind remained calm. He said, “I will not let you eat me or a single one of my followers. And yet,we will drink all the water we want!” The water demon grunted, “Impossible! How will you do that?” The monkey king replied, “Each one of the 80,000 of us will drink using bamboo shoots as
straws. And you will not be able to touch us!”

Of course, anyone who has seen bamboo knows there is a difficulty. Bamboo grows in sections, one after another, with a knot between each one. Any one section is too small, so the demon could grab the monkey, pull him under and gobble him up. But the knots make it impossible to sip through more than one section.

The monkey king was very special, and that is why so many followed him. In the past, he had practised goodness and trained his mind with such effort and attention, that he had developed very fine qualities of mind. This is why he was said to be ‘large in mind’, not because he simply had a ‘big brain’.

The Enlightenment Being was able to keep these fine qualities in his mind, and produce a very unlikely event – a miracle. First, he took a young bamboo shoot, blew through it to make the knots disappear, and used it to sip water from the
pond. Then, amazing as it may sound, he waved his hand and all the bamboo growing around that one pond lost their knots. They became a new kind of bamboo.

Then, all his 80,000 followers picked bamboo shoots and easily drank their fill from the pond. The water demon could not believe his green eyes. Grumbling to himself, he slid back under the surface, leaving only gurgling bubbles behind.

The moral is: “Test the water before jumping in.”

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The God in the Banyan Tree -A Bad Promise

The God in the Banyan Tree -A Bad Promise

In the past, and even in some places today, people have had superstitions. One such is that a large or unusual tree is inhabited by a tree god, or some kind of spirit. People think that they can make a promise to this tree god, so he will help them in some way.

When they think the god has helped them, then they must keep their promise.Once upon a time, in the city of Kasi in northern India, a man came upon a large banyan tree. He immediately thought there must be a god living there. So he made a promise to this tree god that he would perform an animal sacrifice, in return for a wish being granted.

It just so happened that his wish was fulfilled,but whether by a god or a demon or by
some other means – no one knows. The man was sure the tree god had answered his prayer, so he wanted to keep his promise.

Since it was a big wish, it called for a big sacrifice. He brought many goats, mules, chickens and sheep. He collected firewood and prepared to burn the helpless animals as a sacrifice.

The spirit living in the banyan tree appeared and said, “Oh friend, you made a promise. You are now bound by that promise. You think you must keep the promise in order to be released from the bondage to it. But if you commit such terrible unwholesome acts, even though promised, the unpleasant results will put you in much greater bondage. For you will be forced to suffer those results in this life, and even by rebirths in hell worlds! The way to release yourself into future deliverance is to give up unwholesome actions, no matter what!

“And furthermore, since you think I’m a true god, what makes you think I eat meat? Haven’t you heard that we gods eat better things, like ‘ambrosia’ or stardust or sunbeams? I have no need of meat or any other food offerings.” Then he disappeared.

The foolish man understood the mistake he had made. Instead of doing unwholesome deeds that would force unhappy results on him in the future,he began to do only wholesome deeds that would benefit himself and others.

The moral is: Keeping a bad promise is worse than making it.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Goat Who Saved The Priest --Ignorance

The Goat Who Saved The Priest --Ignorance

Once upon a time, there was a very famous priest in a very old religion. He decided it was the right day to perform the ritual sacrificing of a goat. In his ignorance, he thought this was an offering demanded by his god.

He obtained an appropriate goat for the sacrifice. He ordered his servants to take the goat to the holy river and wash him and decorate him with flower garlands. Then they were to wash themselves, as part of the purification practice.

Down at the river bank, the goat suddenly understood that today he would definitely be killed. He also became aware of his past births and deaths and rebirths. He realized that the results of his past unwholesome deeds were about to finally be completed. So he laughed an uproarious goat-laugh, like the clanging of cymbals.
In the midst of his laughter, he realized another truth – that the priest, by sacrificing him,would suffer the same terrible results, due to his ignorance.

So he began to cry as loudly as he had just been laughing!

The servants, who were bathing in the holy river, heard first the laughing and then the crying.

They were amazed. So they asked the goat, “Why did you loudly laugh and then just as loudly cry?

What is the reason for this?” He replied, I will tell you the reason. But it must be in the presence of your master, the priest.”

Since they were very curious, they immediately took the sacrificial goat to the priest. They explained all that had happened. The priest too,became very curious. He respectfully asked the goat, “Sir, why did you laugh so loudly, and then just as loudly cry?”

The goat, remembering his past lives, said, “A long time ago, I too was a priest who, like you,was well educated in the sacred religious rites. I thought that to sacrifice a goat was a necessary offering to my god, which would benefit others, as
well as myself in future rebirths. However, the true result of my action was that in my next 499 lives I myself have been beheaded!

“While being prepared for the sacrifice, I realized that today I will definitely lose my head for the 500th time. Then I will finally be free of all the results of my unwholesome deed of so long ago. The joy of this made me laugh uncontrollably.

“Then I suddenly realized that you, the priest, were about to repeat the same unwholesome action, and would be doomed to the same result of having your head chopped off in your next 500 lives! So, out of compassion and sympathy,my laughter turned to tears.”

The priest was afraid this goat might be right, so he said, “Well, sir goat, I will not kill you.” The goat replied, “Reverend priest, even if you do not kill me, I know that today I will lose my head and finally be released from the results of my past unwholesome action.”

The priest said, “Don’t be afraid, my fine goat. I will provide the very best protection and personally guarantee that no harm will come to you.” But the goat said, “Oh priest, your protection is very weak, compared to the power of my unwholesome deed to cause its necessary results.”

So the priest cancelled the sacrifice, and began to have doubts about killing innocent animals.

He released the goat and, along with his servants, followed him in order to protect him from any danger.The goat wandered into a rocky place. He saw some tender leaves on a branch and stretched out his neck to reach them. All of a sudden a thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. A lightning bolt struck an over-hanging rock, and cut off
a sharp slab, which fell and chopped off the goat’s head! He died instantly, and the thunderstorm disappeared.

Hearing of this very strange event, hundreds of local people came to the place. No one could understand how it had happened.There was also a fairy who lived in a
nearby tree. He had seen all that had occurred. He appeared, gently fluttering in the air overhead. He began to teach the curious people, saying, “Look at what happened to this poor goat. This was the result of killing animals! All beings are born, and suffer through sickness, old age and death. But all wish to live, and not to die. Not seeing that all have this in common, some kill other living beings.
This causes suffering also to those who kill,both now and in countless future rebirths.

“Being ignorant that all deeds must cause results to the doer, some continue to kill and heap up more suffering on themselves in the future.Each time they kill, a part of themselves must also die in this present life. And the suffering continues
even by rebirth in hell worlds!”

Those who heard the fairy speak felt that they were very lucky indeed. They gave up their ignorant killing, and were far better off, both in this life, and in pleasant rebirths.

The moral is: Even religion can be a source of ignorance.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Wind And The Moon --Friendship

The Wind And The Moon ---Friendship

Once upon a time, there were two very good friends who lived together in the shade of a rock. Strange as it may seem, one was a lion and one was a tiger.

They had met when they were too young to know the difference between lions and tigers. So they did not think their friendship was at all unusual. Besides, it was a peaceful part of the mountains, possibly due to the influence of a gentle forest monk who lived nearby. He was a hermit, one who lives far away from other people.

For some unknown reason, one day the two friends got into a silly argument. The tiger said, “Everyone knows the cold comes when the moon wanes from full to new!” The lion said, “Where did you hear such nonsense? Everyone knows the cold comes when the moon waxes from new to full!”

The argument got stronger and stronger. Neither could convince the other. They could not reach any conclusion to resolve the growing dispute. They even started calling each other names! Fearing for their friendship, they decided to go ask the learned forest monk, who would surely know about such things.

Visiting the peaceful hermit, the lion and tiger bowed respectfully and put their question to him. The friendly monk thought for a while and then gave his answer. “It can be cold in any phase of the moon, from new to full and back to new again. It is the wind that brings the cold, whether from west or north or east. Therefore, in a way,you are both right! And neither of you is defeated by the other.

The most important thing is to live without conflict, to remain united. Unity is best by all means.”

The lion and tiger thanked the wise hermit. They were happy to still be friends.

The moral is: Weather comes and weather goes, but friendship remains.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Sunday

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 307

Health best of all gains and peace of mind is the best of all happiness.

~ The Mahabharata

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Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 307

Health best of all gains and peace of mind is the best of all happiness.

~ The Mahabharata

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Saturday

Most Amazing Inspirational motivationals Quotes

Health Is Wealth

Posted: 04 Dec 2010 02:15 AM PST

Health best of all gains and peace of mind is the best of all happiness.
The Mahabharata
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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship....To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

Gautama Buddha
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Since you alone are responsible for your thoughts, only you can change them... Therefore, start now to think only those thoughts that will bring you health and happiness.

Yogananda Paramahansa
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Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga shows the way.

Swami Vishnu-devananda
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It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

M K Gandhi
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The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind.

G K Chesterton
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The greatest wealth is health.

Virgil

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 306

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

~ MK Gandhi 

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Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 306

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

~ MK Gandhi 

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Die Like Celebrating...

Make everything creative, make the best out of the worst - that's what i call `the art'. And if a man has lived his whole life making every moment and every phase of it a beauty, a love, a joy, naturally his death is going to be the ultimate peak of his whole life's endeavour. His death is not going to be ugly as it ordinarily happens everyday to everyone.

If death is ugly, that means your whole life has been a waste.

Death should be a peaceful acceptance, a loving entry into the unknown, a joyful goodbye to old friends, to the old world. There should not be any tragedy in it.

Zen master Lin Chi was dying. Thousands of his disciples had gathered to listen to the last sermon, but Lin Chi was simply lying down - joyous, smiling, not saying a single word.

Seeing that he was going to die and he was not saying a single word, somebody reminded Lin Chi - an old friend, a master in his own right. He was not a disciple of Lin Chi. That's why he could say to him, "Lin Chi, have you forgotten that you have to say your last words? I have always said your memory isn't right. You are dying...have you forgotten?"

Lin Chi said, "Just listen." And on the roof two squirrels were running, screeching. He said, "How beautiful." And he died.

For a moment, when he said "Just listen", there was absolute silence. Everybody thought he is going to say something great, but only two squirrels fighting, screeching, running on the roof... And he smiled and he died.

That was his message: don't make things small and big, trivial and important. Everything is important. At this moment, Lin Chi's death is as important as the two squirrels running on the roof, there is no difference. In existence it is all the same. That was his whole philosophy - that there is nothing which is great or small; it all depends on you, what you make of it.

Start with meditation, and things will grow in you - silence, serenity, blissfulness, sensitivity. And whatever comes out of meditation, try to bring it out in life. Share it, because everything shared grows fast. And when you have reached the point of death, you will know there is no death. You can say goodbye, there is no need for any tears of sadness - maybe tears of joy, but not of sadness.

But you have to begin from being innocent.

So first, throw out all the rubbish you are carrying. Life is simple; it is a joyful dance. The whole earth can be full of joy and dance, but there are some who are determined that nobody should enjoy life, smile, or laugh; that life is a sin, that it is a punishment. How can you enjoy anything when the climate is such that you have been told continuously that it is a punishment; that you are suffering because you have done wrong things and it is a kind of jail where you have been thrown into to suffer?

Life is a reward, and it is given only to those who have earned it, who deserve it. It will be against existence if you don't beautify it, if you leave it just as you have found it. So leave it a little happier, a little more beautiful, a little more fragrant.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Health is Wealth

Health Is Wealth

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Health Is Wealth

Words Use Them Wisely

We should always be soft spoken. Sweet speech has the ability to attract one and all. On the contrary, vitriolic speech keeps people away. That is why one should always be soft spoken so that it enhances brotherhood and affection.
Yajur Veda
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One should be cautious not to speak anything that hurts others. Such kind of speech never helps but always brings destruction.
Rig Veda
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Among a man's many good possessions, a good command of speech has no equal. Prosperity and ruin issue from the power of the tongue. Therefore, guard yourself against thoughtless speech.
Thirukural 65: 641-642
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Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.
Chanakya
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Action with love is right conduct. Speak with love and it becomes truth.
Sathya Sai Baba
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If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.
Kahlil Gibran

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Watch What You Say

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Education Quotes

Real education will not teach you to compete; it will teach you to cooperate. It will not teach you to fight and come first. It will teach you to be creative; to be loving, blissful, without any comparison with the other. It will not teach you that you can be happy only when you are the first.

Osho

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If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere. How? You have seen my brethren... Let these men go from village to village bringing not only religion to the door of everyone but also education.

Swami Vivekananda

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The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.

Rabindranth Tagore

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Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.

Will Durant

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O Goddess Saraswati, salutations to you, the giver of boons, the one who fulfils all desires. I begin my studies. May there always be accomplishments for me.

Saraswati Namastubhyam

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Educating Everyone

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Hermit And A Thief

A hermit lived in solitude in a cave in the high mountains. Over the years, he had divested himself of all possessions till he was left only with the robe he wore during the day and the bowl he ate and drank from. The water in the bowl reflected the splendour of the snow peaks.

One day, a thief found his way to the cave. The hermit gave him food and water to drink. In the morning the thief had gone, taking with him the robe and the bowl. The morning dew had formed a puddle on the rocks outside the cave. The water of the puddle reflected the splendour of the snow peaks.

"Poor thief," said the hermit. "He could not take this with him as well."

The true giver gives without claiming ownership of the gift. Whether that gift is a robe, a bowl, or $2 billion, it belongs to the giver no more than do the reflections of the mountains in the water.

Such giving, without taking pride or credit for what is given, is a true boon.

Read more: Charity begins at OM - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/speaking-tree/Charity-begins-at-OM/articleshow/7039751.cms#ixzz178QnZcYy

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Thursday

Mother is The Word

Think about the word mother: does it make you burst into a fantastic smile as you think of the woman you will love with a passion for all eternity, she who guides your destiny towards freedom, liberty and perhaps tranquility?
If your answer is yes, you will have embraced your mum and the 10 English words that came top in a survey of favourites conducted by the British Council.

You may, on the other hand, reply: "Oi! I am flabbergasted that such a loquacious, hilarious and far from gorgeous explosion of nouns and adjectives should have been plucked from serendipity under the umbrella of so cosmopolitan and sophisticated an organisation." In which case, you will have clocked up 10 more words from the list of 70 gathered to mark the council's 70th birthday. You can use up eight more by pulling on your flip-flop, reaching for your coconut and riding with a giggle over the rainbow on your cute kangaroo to your hen night before you turn into a pumpkin.

The wordlist, which contains only one verb (cherish) which is not also a noun, emerged after the council asked more than 7,000 learners in 46 countries what they considered the most beautiful words in English language. Some 35,000 other people registered their favourites in an online poll run in the non-English speaking countries where the council operates.

"It's interesting that mother, the only word of the 70 that describes a direct relationship between people, came top of the poll," said Greg Selby, the council's communications and marketing officer, who managed the project.

The magnificent 70

1 Mother
2 Passion
3 Smile
4 Love
5 Eternity
6 Fantastic
7 Destiny
8 Freedom
9 Liberty
10 Tranquillity
11 Peace
12 Blossom
13 Sunshine
14 Sweetheart
15 Gorgeous
16 Cherish
17 Enthusiasm
18 Hope
19 Grace
20 Rainbow
21 Blue
22 Sunflower
23 Twinkle
24 Serendipity
25 Bliss
26 Lullaby
27 Sophisticated
28 Renaissance
29 Cute
30 Cosy
31 Butterfly
32 Galaxy
33 Hilarious
34 Moment
35 Extravaganza
36 Aqua
37 Sentiment
38 Cosmopolitan
39 Bubble
40 Pumpkin
41 Banana
42 Lollipop
43 If
44 Bumblebee
45 Giggle
46 Paradox
47 Delicacy
48 Peekaboo
49 Umbrella
50 Kangaroo
51 Flabbergasted
52 Hippopotamus
53 Gothic
54 Coconut
55 Smashing
56 Whoops
57 Tickle
58 Loquacious
59 Flip-flop
60 Smithereens
61 Oi
62 Gazebo
63 Hiccup
64 Hodgepodge
65 Shipshape
66 Explosion
67 Fuselage
68 Zing
69 Gum
70 Hen night

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God Has His Own Ways.....

There was once a pastor in Rumania who loved cats. He himself had a beautiful six-month-old black and white kitten. One day the little kitten, curious as all cats are, climbed up a tall fir tree and could not come down.

The pastor was stumped.Suddenly a bright idea struck him. By tying the wispy branches of the tree to the bumper of his car and slowly driving forward, he could bend the top branches enough to reach his terrified pet.

However, just as the pastor reached for his furry friend, the rope snapped and the wide - eyed , frozen kitty flew through the air as though catapulted into space.

After a fruitless search, the dejected pastor surrendered the matter to God.

While shopping not many days later, the pastor bumped into the grocery cart of a woman from his church. Knowing her reputation for disliking cats, he commented on the fact that she had cat food in her basket.

"You'll never believe what happened!" replied the woman.

"My little girl has been begging me for a kitten for months and I continually responded that we have no need for a cat. Finally, I told her that if God gave her
one, she could keep it.

”My daughter ran into the backyard , got down on her knees,closed her eyes tightly
and prayed ,‘Dear God , please send me a kitty of my very own to love and care for. Amen.’

"She opened her eyes and what do you think she saw? A little kitten with paws outstretched flying through the air. It landed right in front of my daughter
and has been par t of our family ever since!"

God's Mysterious ways

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Wednesday

True Freedom...

“Trust fully in God, think of him, chant his name, hand over your worries to him, and don’t be attached to the world, to family and money. Make God the centre in your life. Develop love for him and do not be afraid, because everything is in his hands.

Understand that the world has nothing worthwhile to offer to you. Find out who you really are. Realise that God and you cannot be separated.

"Always tell the truth. Be righteous. Contribute to the welfare of society. Don’t harm anyone
and help wherever you can. If you honour dharma, dharma will protect you.”

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Coping With Insecurity

Coping With Insecuruty

Coping with insecurity

Need for security: The interactive Self-Discovery series by Sri Aurobindo has a book titled Fear: Its cause and cure.

According to Sri Aurobindo, fear comes from excessive concern about one’s security. In relationships, we are afraid of being vulnerable. We try to protect ourselves by seeking external reassurances and platitudes.

By opening up, sharing our inner fears and just letting them be, we are able to face them. By trying to mitigate our fearful insecurities, we keep feeling them.

Finding inner stillness: We can control our insecurities by finding our core, which is calm and divine. Through meditation we begin slowly release the tensions and anxiety.

Chanting: Choose the Gayatri mantra or a word that brings a sense of stillness and chant it every time they begin to dwell on insecurities and fearful thoughts.

Risk love: In his book, When all you’ve ever wanted isn’t enough, Harold S Kushner talks about
love with risk. There is no relationship without risk of loss, failure or grief. It is an inevitable part
of loving. Rabbi Kushner says, we fear to give ourselves hundred per cent in a relationship. Love
is a free fall of emotions. Once we can accept the emotional investment required, we begin to let go of fear.

Surrender: Whether it is to destiny or the Divine, eventually we need to surrender and let go of outcomes.

Live with the Faith that what is to be will be. One cannot control it. “Tell yourself each day that if someone has to cheat on you, he/she will. By your constant vigilance or assurance seeking, the outcome will not change. In fact, it will weaken your relationship further.”

Law of attraction: The book, The Secret, reveals how we manifest fears by dwelling on them. Sri Aurobindo also explores this concept. We are reminded that by focusing on fear, we create that
very fear. It is important that we keep reminding ourselves this. Learn to separate: Learn to
separate reality from fear. When we operate from insecurities, we operate from a place that is built on fantasy, not reality. Is your fear based on evidence? Where is the fear coming from?

Seek therapy to help you differentiate and cognitively restructure.

Being in the now: Insecurities are the results of living in the past or future. I often hear people say, ‘He/she did that to me in the past. I do not trust them and this makes me insecure’ or you may say, ‘My father suffered financially. I am scared I will too’. Therapist Marsha Williams says, “WIN is a useful acronym that I apply to my relationships. WIN stands for ‘What’s Important Now’. This helps her stay in the present and assess current needs, instead of thinking of the past or future.

Insecurity is best tackled by discovering our own power. We need to discover our strengths and build our lives with the knowledge that people cannot fulfil our needs or make us happy. The Buddha spoke about creating a space within ourselves that is solely ours. This inner life is independent of others. When we are able to be with ourselves without fearing our minds, we find security.

The desperate need for others disappears. They become a part of our life, not life itself. This is an important insight to remember because when people build their lives around a particular person or objective, life becomes very insecure.

Finally, if a relationship is not working, we need to let go of it. We have to assess and see if insecurity stems from our minds or whether our partner or friend is generally unreliable. We can work on your own insecurities, but we cannot change our partner into being something they aren’t. Remember, there is a difference between being insecure in an abusive relationship and feeling insecurity in a nonabusive relationship.

Eventually, a healthy relationship is one in which we can share insecurities, be open and vulnerable with our loved ones and instead of seeking constant reassurances, surrender our fears to the Divine.

Spiritual quotes Stories and Inspirations Affirmations What a Life

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Three Gunas and Three Cravings

Three gunas, three cravings

Depending on their nature, all six-and-ahalf billion people of the world fall into one of the three categories of tamas, rajas and sattva.
Tamasic people have base instincts,are overly sense-oriented and prone to inertia.
Rajasic people are dynamic, go-getters,restless.
Sattvic people have soft, finer feelings, more interested in the workings of the inner world than the outer.

All of us are a combination of all three. But even if one of them is highly developed or suppressed,we lose balance and perspective.

For example, we cannot do without sleep,but sloth is tamasic.
Meditation is sattvic,but a certain amount of rajas is required to propel oneself towards that activity.
Once we actively sit for meditation, to fidget and get distracted is rajasic.
Being too soft in the outer world is also dangerous, as discovered by the sattvic snake who forgot to hiss and got beaten up in the bargain.

Spiritual master Sri Ramachandraji who advocates the sahaj marg identifies three kinds of cravings a human being needs to fulfil, at the physical, mental and spiritual levels.

At the physical level, we satisfy the needs of our senses with food and other inputs; at the mental level, we supply ourselves with interest in arts like music, dance and literature.

Our spiritual craving is fed with prayer, meditation and contemplation.

There are two ways in which we can fail to balance these three. One – we might ignore
one or more of these completely, and therefore become stilted in our all-round growth.

Two – we might use the wrong inputs to satisfy these cravings. Over-indulgence of physical cravings like consuming spicy food and alcohol everyday can lead to physical
and psychosomatic diseases.

Excessive inputs to the mind, like addictions to online networking sites , can wreak
havoc on the mind and intellect.

Getting involved with esoteric sciences that involve sacrifice of living beings, witchcraft and Tantra can be harmful for several lifetimes.

Sri Ramachandraji says that too much of tamasic (inertia-inducing) and rajasic (excitement-inducing) inputs like the above take us away from our centre, which
is sattva (truth, goodness, purity).

Sattvic food, music, worship and prayer soothe the body, mind and soul. They help us
stay on the right side of life and enjoy a healthy, balanced outlook on everything.

With an immoderate lifestyle, man can upset the balance of seven spiritual centres
or chakras, which will reflect in his aura.

The aura is nothing but a pulsating energy consisting of bio-rhythmic, biochemical
and bio-electrical vibrations of our body and mind. These can be regulated respectively with pranayama and meditation, eating clean, pure and soft food, and dropping negative thoughts and cultivating good thoughts,says Guru Shri Nimishananda.

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Give First To Recieve Something....

Life works on the principle of reciprocity.

Following Real Life Story Tells it All...........

A Friend experienced it recently when, putting aside reservations and expectations, he impulsively said ‘sorry’ to a neighbour with whom he was not on talking terms for a long time. Unable to bear the unfriendliness anymore, he decided to take the first step towards reconciliation. It was such a relief and pleasure to see neighbors face break into a smile. The animosity built over six months melted as if it had never existed.

Neighbor too, was eager to end the tension but didn’t know how. Fortunately for them, he decided to get off his high-horse.

The only way to receive something is to give it first, whether in relationships or money. Estranged couples fighting over alimony and child custody could use this attitude.

Money too, comes to one who doesn’t hoard it, for like water, money needs to flow. Even the legend on a India currency notes says ‘I promise to pay the bearer a sum of Rupees One Hundred’.

A wonderful message that reminds us that the money in our wallet does not belong to us!

“I don't pay good wages because I have a lot of money, I have a lot of money because I pay good wages,”

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Health Is Wealth

Thursday

Wednesday

Coping With Insecuruty