Six stages of realisation enabled by Krishna
When Parama Purusa incarnates as Taraka Brahma, the liberating Supreme Entity, at a certain transitional period, the people of that period invariably enjoy some special privileges. As Vraja Krishna and Parthasarathi, the Lord helps people find the path of spirituality.
When people attain progress in the realm of spiritual realisation, that progress is divided into six stages. At the stage of salokya, people feel that they have come onto the earth at the same time as Parama Purusa. This brings a sense of ecstasy. This state of bliss is termed salokya. When Krishna was in Vraja, the people felt intense joy and a sense of pride that a great personality in the form of a young man had chosen to live in their midst.
Duryodhana, even though he was apparently Krishna's enemy, was convinced that Krishna was not an ordinary person. He thought that he would be fortunate indeed if he could win Krishna's support. So on the eve of the Kurukshetra war he went to Krishna to ask Him for help. Arjuna was there, too, for the same reason.
Duryodhana arrived at Krishna's palace before Arjuna to find Krishna lying in bed with His eyes closed. He seemed to be fast asleep. Duryodhana sat near Krishna's head. Arjuna came afterwards and took his seat near Krishna's feet. Suddenly Krishna sat up. He was awake. He looked first towards Arjuna sitting near His feet and said, "Welcome Arjuna, you've come. It's good to see you." Then He caught sight of Duryodhana and said, "Welcome Duryodhana, you have come too. It's good to see you." Duryodhana's realisation of salokya was less than Arjuna's; hence he could not get benefits of salokya, while Arjuna easily could. Now the entity who seemed to be asleep was not Vraja Krishna, the constant wielder and player of the magic flute, but instead, He was Parthasarathi Krishna, the intellectual. Had He been Vraja Krishna, he would have played his magic flute, drawing Duryodhana as close to Him as Arjuna. Parthasarathi Krishna was practical and diplomatic.
The second stage of spiritual realisation is samiipya. In the second stage, they feel close enough to Parama Purusa to talk to Him on friendly terms, even regarding extremely personal matters, and thus be relieved and comforted by Him.
Next comes the stage of sayujya. It implies close contact, almost body contact, the closest proximity imaginable. But it was not so easy to attain the state - not everyone was blessed with this realisation. None of the other brothers had the opportunity.
The next stage of sadhana or spiritual practice is sarupya. It implies that "Not only am I close to Him, but whenever I think of Him I see Him in all directions." Next comes sarshthi, when spiritual aspirants realise Parama Purusa in all possible ways and in all conceivable manners. Not only do the devotees see Him, they also remain united with him, one with Him. When a sadhaka attains this stage, he feels, "Lord! You exist. I exist. We are so close that I have become You. You have become me."
One can attain sarshthi through Parthasarathi Krishna no doubt, but not of this kind. There the ideation is "O Parama Purusa, O Lord, O Parthasarathi! You have made me exclusively Your own. Finally when the devotee merges with Parama Purusa without maintaining its existence, that is the stage of Kaevalya.
Friday
Breath - Gods Greatest gift to earth -- Did you ever care ????
Breath - Sensing The Body
By changing one’s breathing, by placing the attention on the softness of the out-breath, one can change the energy of a room, one can turn an argument into a dialogue
The apparently simple act of sensing the body releases its healing potential in a powerful way and has been adopted by numerous therapists in their work.
Usually this sensing is accomplished in two stages. The first stage is sensing the breath. The second is scanning the whole body under certain conditions.
As we breathe in we take in impressions via the senses, as we breathe out we let go of what we took in. The process happens with each in-breath and with each out–breath; the process of birth and dying.
Yet, as we breathe in we receive impressions and simultaneously we discriminate, we assess certain impressions as favourable and others as not favourable. In this act of in–breath we practise “becoming”, we shape our reality, our sense of self; we identify with our likes and dislikes. We create our personality.
The out-breath is essentially an act of emptying, of letting go, a freeing of identity in order to receive the next in-breath in an unconditioned way, free from past fears or future anxieties. This is the potential of breathing.
Breathing is more than the process of air passing in and out of the body, breathing is also the consciousness, the level of awareness of each person.
In some therapies, for example, working with one’s breath is a central tool to diagnose and to evaluate the level of one’s awareness. By working with the breath one is exercising and awakening one’s awareness, and therefore stimulating our own healing potentiality. Practitioners are often surprised that by working with the breath they become involved in their own healing process in a most direct and immediate way and at that moment strengthen their healing potential.
Letting-go of the breath, letting-go of becoming, letting go of the emotional weight necessary to keep our personality going, is a first act of healing, then taking in is free from conditions, free from holding on to a sense of “self”. Thus the healing potential of each individual returns to its natural rhythm.
As practitioners discover their own potentiality through the mindful practice of breathing they become more attuned to their breathing.
Furthermore through their own practice practitioners will have experienced that there is a gap between the end of the outbreath and the start of the next in-breath. This gap is not the same as holding one’s breath. Naturally as the outbreath ends there is a sense of “no–need to become, no need to be reborn” and the awareness rests in that gap or space; this is where practitioners can meet their own awareness and potentiality, this is where healing takes place.
To cultivate the awareness of the “space” between out-breath and in-breath is vital in the assessing and exercising of the healing potential. If at that point practitioners can rest their attention in that “space” a true healing is experienced. This is the beginning of healing the human condition from its incessant grasping at the next in-breath in order to re-affirm its “personality”.
Basically where attention is, breath is; where attention is, energy flows. Breathing goes on all the time, for all of us regardless of the activity, place or time. It is therefore a most suitable tool to exercise awareness, and to stimulate healing. It is a true barometer of where we are at any given moment.
Every thought, emotion, opinion, or idea we have, is acc-ompanied by a change in breathing! Many times we are not aware of this but it occurs all the same. By changing one’s breathing, by placing the attention on the softness of the out-breath, one can change the energy of a room; one can turn an argument into a dialogue. Therefore the practitioners can help change their condition simply by practising awareness of the breath, especially at first the awareness of the out-breath in their own belly.
Now we come to the second stage of body sensing.
The method is first of all to develop the skill of observing the body in the four basic postures, standing, walking, sitting, lying down, and to link this awareness of the body to all life activities.
The sensing starts with the awareness of the body as it is slower and denser than mind and so can be more easily observed. Through the repeated and consistent observation of the body and its activities, the practitioner will not fail to become more aware of the mental states that accompany the bodily activities.
From the observation of the body and mind one goes on to the training or taming of the body and mind. This means, for example, that if you perform a certain activity like answering the phone or opening a door, your att-ention(mind) is with the body movement, not ahead of it or behind it.
How often while one is doing a simple daily activity like switching on the kettle, the attention is on what has just taken place or on what is about to happen. Training the body and mind means teaching the attention to come back to what is happening at that moment, here in this body, now in this moment, no matter how many times one needs to call the attention back.
It is a simple, not always easy, but simple method. Again this is practised in the four basic postures and in all daily life activities.
The next part of the training is liberating, freeing mind. The practitioner will by now have realised or at least touched on the experience that suffering or dissatisfaction in one’s life is totally linked to the sense of self-identity, me and mine, my views and my needs, “wanting what I do not get, and getting what I do not want”.
The sensing practice will help us release our grip, our hold onto “this is me, this is mine” condition. With patience and kindness to this “me”, we will gradually become less dominated in our response to the world by the acquisitive, the averse or the confused characteristic which normally dominates us.
Over time with lots of dedicated practice and lots of good-will the four sublime abodes, Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity, will become our true refuge in self-healing.
Thus body sensing is a form of training available to all, it is not a gift nor the privilege of the few. All that is required is an honest intention to look into the mirror of body awareness again and again with a sense of humour and kindness.
Basic body sensing exercise
• Sit with an alert and relaxed body posture so that you feel relatively comfortable without moving. (You can sit either in a straight-back chair with your feet flat on the floor, or on a thick, firm cushion three to six inches off the floor.)
• Keep your back, neck and head vertically aligned, relax your shoulders and find a comfortable place for your hands (usually on your knees).
• Bring your attention to your breathing. Observe the breath as it flows in and out. Give full attention to the feeling of the breath as it comes in, and goes out. Whenever you find that your attention has moved elsewhere, just note it, and let go and gently escort your attention back to the breath, to the rising and falling of your own belly.
• When you can maintain some continuity of attention on the breath, try expanding the field of your awareness “around” your belly to include a sense of your body as a whole.
• Maintain this awareness of the body sitting and breathing, and, when the mind wanders, bring it back to sitting and breathing.
• After your have gained enough practice proceed to do steps 4 and 5 with the other three basic body postures, standing, walking, and lying down, and to link this awareness of the body to all life activities.
By changing one’s breathing, by placing the attention on the softness of the out-breath, one can change the energy of a room, one can turn an argument into a dialogue
The apparently simple act of sensing the body releases its healing potential in a powerful way and has been adopted by numerous therapists in their work.
Usually this sensing is accomplished in two stages. The first stage is sensing the breath. The second is scanning the whole body under certain conditions.
As we breathe in we take in impressions via the senses, as we breathe out we let go of what we took in. The process happens with each in-breath and with each out–breath; the process of birth and dying.
Yet, as we breathe in we receive impressions and simultaneously we discriminate, we assess certain impressions as favourable and others as not favourable. In this act of in–breath we practise “becoming”, we shape our reality, our sense of self; we identify with our likes and dislikes. We create our personality.
The out-breath is essentially an act of emptying, of letting go, a freeing of identity in order to receive the next in-breath in an unconditioned way, free from past fears or future anxieties. This is the potential of breathing.
Breathing is more than the process of air passing in and out of the body, breathing is also the consciousness, the level of awareness of each person.
In some therapies, for example, working with one’s breath is a central tool to diagnose and to evaluate the level of one’s awareness. By working with the breath one is exercising and awakening one’s awareness, and therefore stimulating our own healing potentiality. Practitioners are often surprised that by working with the breath they become involved in their own healing process in a most direct and immediate way and at that moment strengthen their healing potential.
Letting-go of the breath, letting-go of becoming, letting go of the emotional weight necessary to keep our personality going, is a first act of healing, then taking in is free from conditions, free from holding on to a sense of “self”. Thus the healing potential of each individual returns to its natural rhythm.
As practitioners discover their own potentiality through the mindful practice of breathing they become more attuned to their breathing.
Furthermore through their own practice practitioners will have experienced that there is a gap between the end of the outbreath and the start of the next in-breath. This gap is not the same as holding one’s breath. Naturally as the outbreath ends there is a sense of “no–need to become, no need to be reborn” and the awareness rests in that gap or space; this is where practitioners can meet their own awareness and potentiality, this is where healing takes place.
To cultivate the awareness of the “space” between out-breath and in-breath is vital in the assessing and exercising of the healing potential. If at that point practitioners can rest their attention in that “space” a true healing is experienced. This is the beginning of healing the human condition from its incessant grasping at the next in-breath in order to re-affirm its “personality”.
Basically where attention is, breath is; where attention is, energy flows. Breathing goes on all the time, for all of us regardless of the activity, place or time. It is therefore a most suitable tool to exercise awareness, and to stimulate healing. It is a true barometer of where we are at any given moment.
Every thought, emotion, opinion, or idea we have, is acc-ompanied by a change in breathing! Many times we are not aware of this but it occurs all the same. By changing one’s breathing, by placing the attention on the softness of the out-breath, one can change the energy of a room; one can turn an argument into a dialogue. Therefore the practitioners can help change their condition simply by practising awareness of the breath, especially at first the awareness of the out-breath in their own belly.
Now we come to the second stage of body sensing.
The method is first of all to develop the skill of observing the body in the four basic postures, standing, walking, sitting, lying down, and to link this awareness of the body to all life activities.
The sensing starts with the awareness of the body as it is slower and denser than mind and so can be more easily observed. Through the repeated and consistent observation of the body and its activities, the practitioner will not fail to become more aware of the mental states that accompany the bodily activities.
From the observation of the body and mind one goes on to the training or taming of the body and mind. This means, for example, that if you perform a certain activity like answering the phone or opening a door, your att-ention(mind) is with the body movement, not ahead of it or behind it.
How often while one is doing a simple daily activity like switching on the kettle, the attention is on what has just taken place or on what is about to happen. Training the body and mind means teaching the attention to come back to what is happening at that moment, here in this body, now in this moment, no matter how many times one needs to call the attention back.
It is a simple, not always easy, but simple method. Again this is practised in the four basic postures and in all daily life activities.
The next part of the training is liberating, freeing mind. The practitioner will by now have realised or at least touched on the experience that suffering or dissatisfaction in one’s life is totally linked to the sense of self-identity, me and mine, my views and my needs, “wanting what I do not get, and getting what I do not want”.
The sensing practice will help us release our grip, our hold onto “this is me, this is mine” condition. With patience and kindness to this “me”, we will gradually become less dominated in our response to the world by the acquisitive, the averse or the confused characteristic which normally dominates us.
Over time with lots of dedicated practice and lots of good-will the four sublime abodes, Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity, will become our true refuge in self-healing.
Thus body sensing is a form of training available to all, it is not a gift nor the privilege of the few. All that is required is an honest intention to look into the mirror of body awareness again and again with a sense of humour and kindness.
Basic body sensing exercise
• Sit with an alert and relaxed body posture so that you feel relatively comfortable without moving. (You can sit either in a straight-back chair with your feet flat on the floor, or on a thick, firm cushion three to six inches off the floor.)
• Keep your back, neck and head vertically aligned, relax your shoulders and find a comfortable place for your hands (usually on your knees).
• Bring your attention to your breathing. Observe the breath as it flows in and out. Give full attention to the feeling of the breath as it comes in, and goes out. Whenever you find that your attention has moved elsewhere, just note it, and let go and gently escort your attention back to the breath, to the rising and falling of your own belly.
• When you can maintain some continuity of attention on the breath, try expanding the field of your awareness “around” your belly to include a sense of your body as a whole.
• Maintain this awareness of the body sitting and breathing, and, when the mind wanders, bring it back to sitting and breathing.
• After your have gained enough practice proceed to do steps 4 and 5 with the other three basic body postures, standing, walking, and lying down, and to link this awareness of the body to all life activities.
7 Power Skills that Build Strong Relationships!!
7 Power Skills that Build Strong Relationships!!
A strong, healthy relationship is one in which the partners show respect and kindness toward each other. The relationship forms a rewarding and enduring bond of trust and support. Here are seven power skills that will help you form stronger alliances and bring more closeness, authenticity and trust to your relationships.
1. Relax Optimistically
If you are comfortable around others, they will feel comfortable around you. If you appear nervous, others will sense it and withdraw. If you are meeting someone for the first time, brighten up as if you've rediscovered a long-lost friend. A smile will always be the most powerful builder of rapport. Communicating with relaxed optimism, energy and enthusiasm will provide a strong foundation for lasting relationships.
2. Listen Deeply
Powerful listening goes beyond hearing words and messages; it connects us emotionally with our communication partner. Listen to what the person is not saying as well as to what he or she is saying. Focus intently and listen to the messages conveyed behind and between words.
Listen also with your eyes and heart. Notice facial expressions and body postures, but see beneath the surface of visible behaviors. Feel the range of emotions conveyed by tone of voice and rhythm of speech. Discern what the person wants you to hear and also what they want you to feel.
3. Feel Empathetically
Empathy is the foundation of good two-way communication. Being empathetic is seeing from another person's perspective regardless of your opinion or belief. Treat their mistakes as you would want them to treat your mistakes. Let the individual know that you are concerned with the mistake, and that you still respect them as a person. Share their excitement in times of victory, and offer encouragement in times of difficulty. Genuine feelings of empathy will strengthen the bond of trust.
4. Respond Carefully
Choose emotions and words wisely. Measure your emotions according to the person's moods and needs. Words can build or destroy trust. They differ in shades of meaning, intensity, and impact. What did you learn when listening deeply to the other individual? Reflect your interpretation of the person's message back to them. Validate your understanding of their message.
Compliment the person for the wisdom and insights they've shared with you. This shows appreciation and encourages further dialogs with the individual. A response can be encouraging or discouraging. If you consider in advance the impact of your emotions and words, you will create a positive impact on your relationships.
5. Synchronize Cooperatively
When people synchronize their watches, they insure that their individual actions will occur on time to produce an intended outcome. Relationships require ongoing cooperative action to survive and thrive.
As relationships mature, the needs and values of the individuals and relationship will change. Career relationships will require the flexibility to meet changing schedules and new project goals. Cooperative actions provide synchrony and build trusting alliances. They are part of the give and take that empowers strong, enduring relationships.
6. Act Authentically
Acting authentically means acting with integrity. It means living in harmony with your values. Be yourself when you are with someone else. Drop acts that create false appearances and false security.
When you act authentically, you are honest with yourself and others. You say what you will do, and do what you say. Ask for what you want in all areas of your relationships. Be clear about what you will tolerate. Find out what your relationship partners want also. Being authentic creates mutual trust and respect.
7. Acknowledge Generously
Look for and accentuate the positive qualities in others. Humbly acknowledge the difference that people make to your life. Validate them by expressing your appreciation for their life and their contributions. If you let someone know that they are valuable and special, they will not forget you. Showing gratitude and encouragement by words and actions will strengthen the bonds of any relationship.
Don't forget to acknowledge your most important relationship: the relationship with yourself. Acknowledge your own qualities, and put those qualities into action. You cannot form a stronger relationship with others than you have with yourself. You will attract the qualities in others that are already within you.
Ask yourself: What thoughts and behaviors will attract the kind of relationships I desire? What is one action I could take today that would empower my current relationships?
Write down all the qualities or behaviors that you desire for your relationships. Select the power skills that will attract those qualities. Keep a journal of the actions you take and the progress you make. By turning these skills into lifelong habits, you will build relationships that are healthy, strong and mutually rewarding
A strong, healthy relationship is one in which the partners show respect and kindness toward each other. The relationship forms a rewarding and enduring bond of trust and support. Here are seven power skills that will help you form stronger alliances and bring more closeness, authenticity and trust to your relationships.
1. Relax Optimistically
If you are comfortable around others, they will feel comfortable around you. If you appear nervous, others will sense it and withdraw. If you are meeting someone for the first time, brighten up as if you've rediscovered a long-lost friend. A smile will always be the most powerful builder of rapport. Communicating with relaxed optimism, energy and enthusiasm will provide a strong foundation for lasting relationships.
2. Listen Deeply
Powerful listening goes beyond hearing words and messages; it connects us emotionally with our communication partner. Listen to what the person is not saying as well as to what he or she is saying. Focus intently and listen to the messages conveyed behind and between words.
Listen also with your eyes and heart. Notice facial expressions and body postures, but see beneath the surface of visible behaviors. Feel the range of emotions conveyed by tone of voice and rhythm of speech. Discern what the person wants you to hear and also what they want you to feel.
3. Feel Empathetically
Empathy is the foundation of good two-way communication. Being empathetic is seeing from another person's perspective regardless of your opinion or belief. Treat their mistakes as you would want them to treat your mistakes. Let the individual know that you are concerned with the mistake, and that you still respect them as a person. Share their excitement in times of victory, and offer encouragement in times of difficulty. Genuine feelings of empathy will strengthen the bond of trust.
4. Respond Carefully
Choose emotions and words wisely. Measure your emotions according to the person's moods and needs. Words can build or destroy trust. They differ in shades of meaning, intensity, and impact. What did you learn when listening deeply to the other individual? Reflect your interpretation of the person's message back to them. Validate your understanding of their message.
Compliment the person for the wisdom and insights they've shared with you. This shows appreciation and encourages further dialogs with the individual. A response can be encouraging or discouraging. If you consider in advance the impact of your emotions and words, you will create a positive impact on your relationships.
5. Synchronize Cooperatively
When people synchronize their watches, they insure that their individual actions will occur on time to produce an intended outcome. Relationships require ongoing cooperative action to survive and thrive.
As relationships mature, the needs and values of the individuals and relationship will change. Career relationships will require the flexibility to meet changing schedules and new project goals. Cooperative actions provide synchrony and build trusting alliances. They are part of the give and take that empowers strong, enduring relationships.
6. Act Authentically
Acting authentically means acting with integrity. It means living in harmony with your values. Be yourself when you are with someone else. Drop acts that create false appearances and false security.
When you act authentically, you are honest with yourself and others. You say what you will do, and do what you say. Ask for what you want in all areas of your relationships. Be clear about what you will tolerate. Find out what your relationship partners want also. Being authentic creates mutual trust and respect.
7. Acknowledge Generously
Look for and accentuate the positive qualities in others. Humbly acknowledge the difference that people make to your life. Validate them by expressing your appreciation for their life and their contributions. If you let someone know that they are valuable and special, they will not forget you. Showing gratitude and encouragement by words and actions will strengthen the bonds of any relationship.
Don't forget to acknowledge your most important relationship: the relationship with yourself. Acknowledge your own qualities, and put those qualities into action. You cannot form a stronger relationship with others than you have with yourself. You will attract the qualities in others that are already within you.
Ask yourself: What thoughts and behaviors will attract the kind of relationships I desire? What is one action I could take today that would empower my current relationships?
Write down all the qualities or behaviors that you desire for your relationships. Select the power skills that will attract those qualities. Keep a journal of the actions you take and the progress you make. By turning these skills into lifelong habits, you will build relationships that are healthy, strong and mutually rewarding
Greed And Gambling Go Together
Greed And Gambling Go Together
Gambling is a part of traditional Diwali celebrations. There is no stigma attached to it as it is associated with fun and a loosening of inhibitions. Family and friends come together and a game of cards, for instance, becomes an opportunity to play as well as ‘earn by luck’ as a form of relaxation at the end of the day.
What exactly happens in gambling? The money leaves the hands of a person who is not smart enough to retain it and it goes to the one who has outsmarted him, who is perhaps more intelligent than the one who lost.
The joy of gaining money in initial rounds encourages an individual to play more and risk more money. At this point he may prove to be a wise player. But as he goes on winning more rounds and making more money, his wisdom gets enveloped by greed and ego. He begins to think that he is invincible. The more he wins, the more greedy and foolhardy he becomes. He begins to throw caution to the winds. The twin evils turn him into a stupid person. The moment he falls from his wisdom, the winnings start going away from his hands to the player who has higher intelligence level and a balanced mind at that juncture. Thus the money used in gambling keeps travelling hither and thither, circulating all the while.
Every man has two vrittis or instincts that are very powerful: one is fear and the other is greed. We have this deep fear of losing the things we have acquired in life – wealth, family, friends, relatives, job, prestige, position – lest any of them shall go away from us. And the other is greed, to get what has not become mine so far, to perhaps become a crorepati overnight.
May be in ancient times some wise men identified these two weaknesses of the human psyche and hence invented the game of gambling. Only the wise are able to extricate themselves from the dangerous trap, from the vicious cycle of winning and losing.
Gambling as a sport has been around for thousands of years. The Mahabharata was an outcome of the passion for gambling. In medieval times, people used to place their bets on birds or animals that they would set to fight. Today, gambling has become institutionalized; we have gambling houses where people flock for entertainment and play, and in the hope of winning hugely.
The tools and trends have changed, but that intrinsic desire remains the same. There are race courses, there are casinos. People gamble by betting on the outcome of cricket tournaments and on which party will garner maximum candidate wins during elections. The tricks of the trade and means are different for each type of ‘sattebazi’.
The desire for gambling is an addiction because you find that you cannot stop yourself. You wish to play and risk till you lose all. It’s a zero-sum game, for the one who wins is also a loser in the end. The sudden inflow of money with initial success pampers the ego and so follows other vices. They are like waves of the sea; by the time you manage to get the vices to withdraw, they have devastated you completely.
Lakshmi is portrayed as Chanchala in our ancient scriptures. She is loyal to none. If there is greed, there is gambling. The market for ‘risk and earn by luck’ games is growing. So keep your greed in check!
Gambling is a part of traditional Diwali celebrations. There is no stigma attached to it as it is associated with fun and a loosening of inhibitions. Family and friends come together and a game of cards, for instance, becomes an opportunity to play as well as ‘earn by luck’ as a form of relaxation at the end of the day.
What exactly happens in gambling? The money leaves the hands of a person who is not smart enough to retain it and it goes to the one who has outsmarted him, who is perhaps more intelligent than the one who lost.
The joy of gaining money in initial rounds encourages an individual to play more and risk more money. At this point he may prove to be a wise player. But as he goes on winning more rounds and making more money, his wisdom gets enveloped by greed and ego. He begins to think that he is invincible. The more he wins, the more greedy and foolhardy he becomes. He begins to throw caution to the winds. The twin evils turn him into a stupid person. The moment he falls from his wisdom, the winnings start going away from his hands to the player who has higher intelligence level and a balanced mind at that juncture. Thus the money used in gambling keeps travelling hither and thither, circulating all the while.
Every man has two vrittis or instincts that are very powerful: one is fear and the other is greed. We have this deep fear of losing the things we have acquired in life – wealth, family, friends, relatives, job, prestige, position – lest any of them shall go away from us. And the other is greed, to get what has not become mine so far, to perhaps become a crorepati overnight.
May be in ancient times some wise men identified these two weaknesses of the human psyche and hence invented the game of gambling. Only the wise are able to extricate themselves from the dangerous trap, from the vicious cycle of winning and losing.
Gambling as a sport has been around for thousands of years. The Mahabharata was an outcome of the passion for gambling. In medieval times, people used to place their bets on birds or animals that they would set to fight. Today, gambling has become institutionalized; we have gambling houses where people flock for entertainment and play, and in the hope of winning hugely.
The tools and trends have changed, but that intrinsic desire remains the same. There are race courses, there are casinos. People gamble by betting on the outcome of cricket tournaments and on which party will garner maximum candidate wins during elections. The tricks of the trade and means are different for each type of ‘sattebazi’.
The desire for gambling is an addiction because you find that you cannot stop yourself. You wish to play and risk till you lose all. It’s a zero-sum game, for the one who wins is also a loser in the end. The sudden inflow of money with initial success pampers the ego and so follows other vices. They are like waves of the sea; by the time you manage to get the vices to withdraw, they have devastated you completely.
Lakshmi is portrayed as Chanchala in our ancient scriptures. She is loyal to none. If there is greed, there is gambling. The market for ‘risk and earn by luck’ games is growing. So keep your greed in check!
MEDITATIONS & TECHNIQUES
Healing Meditation for Pain.
Here is a meditation technique you can do with a person who is experiencing a headache or any other pain. Have the person lie down,close his eyes,and relax deeply.Have him focus on his breath for a while,breathing deeply and slowly,yet naturally.Have him count down from ten to one slowly,feeling himself drift into a deeper,more relaxed state of being with each count.When the person is very relaxed,have him imagine a bright color,any color(the first color that comes to mind).Ask him to picture it as a sphere of bright light about six inches in diameter.Now ask him to picture it gradually growing bigger and bigger,until eventually it fills his whole field of mental vision.When he has experienced this,ask him to picture it shrinking,growing smaller and smaller until it's back to its original size.Now have it grow smaller still,until it's only an inch or so in diameter,still shrinking,and finally disappearing completely. Now go through the visualization exercise again,and this time have the person imagine that the color is his pain.
Meditations by Shakti Gawain.
This meditation is wonderfully effective ! Sit or lie down comfortably,close your eyes,and breathe deeply,slowly,and naturally.Gradually relax deeper and deeper.Imagine something that you would like to manifest.Imagine that it has already happened.Picture it as clearly as possible in your mind. Now,in your mind's eye,surround your fantasy with a pink bubble;put your goal inside the bubble.Pink is the color associated with the heart,and if this color vibration surrounds whatever you visualize,it will bring to you only that which is in perfect affinity with your being. The third step is to let go of the bubble and imagine it floating off into the universe,still containing your vision.This symbolizes that you are emotionally ''letting go'' of it.Now it is free to float around in the universe,attracting and gathering energy for its manifestation.
Here is a meditation technique you can do with a person who is experiencing a headache or any other pain. Have the person lie down,close his eyes,and relax deeply.Have him focus on his breath for a while,breathing deeply and slowly,yet naturally.Have him count down from ten to one slowly,feeling himself drift into a deeper,more relaxed state of being with each count.When the person is very relaxed,have him imagine a bright color,any color(the first color that comes to mind).Ask him to picture it as a sphere of bright light about six inches in diameter.Now ask him to picture it gradually growing bigger and bigger,until eventually it fills his whole field of mental vision.When he has experienced this,ask him to picture it shrinking,growing smaller and smaller until it's back to its original size.Now have it grow smaller still,until it's only an inch or so in diameter,still shrinking,and finally disappearing completely. Now go through the visualization exercise again,and this time have the person imagine that the color is his pain.
Meditations by Shakti Gawain.
This meditation is wonderfully effective ! Sit or lie down comfortably,close your eyes,and breathe deeply,slowly,and naturally.Gradually relax deeper and deeper.Imagine something that you would like to manifest.Imagine that it has already happened.Picture it as clearly as possible in your mind. Now,in your mind's eye,surround your fantasy with a pink bubble;put your goal inside the bubble.Pink is the color associated with the heart,and if this color vibration surrounds whatever you visualize,it will bring to you only that which is in perfect affinity with your being. The third step is to let go of the bubble and imagine it floating off into the universe,still containing your vision.This symbolizes that you are emotionally ''letting go'' of it.Now it is free to float around in the universe,attracting and gathering energy for its manifestation.
5 things to consider before you say 'I quit!'
5 things to consider before you say 'I quit!'
You get up in the morning and groan at another long day ahead. Somehow the excitement you felt for your job in the beginning has faded. Occasionally it is the monotony of doing the same thing repeatedly that gets to you and at other times you feel there is no challenge in what you do anymore.
You begin to feel unsure of yourself and overwhelmed with a sense of being stuck. You consider your options as you get dressed but nothing flies out at you as the obvious answer. You wonder why?You speculate if it is the new manager who has sucked the joy out of you or is it that you are genuinely bored and ready for a change.
If this scenario is repeating itself in your head day in and day out then it is time to take a snap poll.
Are you ready for a change?
So what would be a good way to assess whether you are ready for a change or not? The following checklist describes some of the feelings and symptoms you might be going through if you are indeed ready.
You are beginning to feel frustrated at being stuck in the job. You are being asked to repeatedly use the same skills and not being given an opportunity to develop new expertise. Will they ever give you the next promotion? Talk to your superior and see what the grand plan is.
Your boss micro manages you and is stifling your creativity and independence. Your boss may be straight out of Devil Wears Prada and then it is probably the time to type out those joyful words "I quit" or just stand up and take a stand.
Politics amongst colleagues is just not your cup of tea. Sucking up is given more importance than doing good quality work. Back-stabbing is the norm. If the personalities are just not meshing then sometimes it is simpler to move on.
Your salary is far lower than what you think another company might be willing to offer.
Very low interest in your job. You are really there to just earn your salary. The skills you use at your job do not excite you at all. You catch yourself daydreaming (all the time) about other different kinds of things you could be doing.
These are just some indications that things at work are not going as well as they should in your professional life and it may be time for a change or a re-evaluation.
Butbefore you decide to put in your papers, consider these important aspects:
Learning cycle complete
The first thing to think about, anytime you are thinking of a change, is whether you have learnt all that you could have learn from this present job. Extracting maximum learning out of a situation is paramount before opting for a change. Another point to ponder is whether moving on will also mean moving up in life.
Change is a double-edged sword. It can be used as an escapist measure or it can be used as a tool for transformation. Ideally you would like to use a move or a change as an opportunity for a make-over. It would be a pity to throw a good opportunity away just because you are going through a temporary dip.
Penny wise, pound foolish
If you are thinking about moving just because of salary and promotion aspects then definitely talk to your boss first and see if something can be worked out mutually. Some people, I notice change jobs without any major purpose except to earn a little bit more. There is documented evidence that changing jobs is a means of financial gain but it is so only in the short term.
If you are looking to build a career in any specific area then sticking to a job for several years is a good way to consolidating your learning and growth. Don't fritter away your chances of a promotion and growth in a company for a petite salary difference.
Reality check -- do you have what it takes?
What type of skills will help you get that dream job? A good way to assess this is by looking at job advertisements over a period of time to get a sense of what is needed. You could also talk to experienced people and gain from their knowledge about what they look for when they are recruiting people in their company. The vast majority of factual data relating to this issue is in the public domain and hence easy to access.
Reinforce your resume
The next question that you need to address is whether your present qualifications are adequate for the direction you would like your career to take. If not, then you need to be looking at what kinds of further qualifications you can possibly acquire to add that extra zing to your resume.
Let us take Poonam Mehta's* track record for instance. She is enjoying her job, she is well liked in her office and yet she feels a certain lack of challenge in her day-to-day existence in the office. She feels that she has maxed her potential for learning in the current job. She was hired in the sales division and she is good at marketing and meeting her targets. But now yeh dil mange more!
She wants to work in areas of strategy, brand-building and brand awareness. The management, however, felt she just did not have the background to perform well in those areas. Poonam after much weighing of pros and cons decided that she needed an additional degree before she would come back to work in that sector. She decided to apply to the UK for a degree in Innovation and Enterprise which focused on brand management, consumer behaviour thus propelling her career in the same field forward.
Different strokes for different folks
No matter how caught up we are with Potter-mania, we all know that a magic wand is really not going to transform our lives. We are the architects of our own future. We all get one life and a fixed set of opportunities to actualise our potential, transform our lives and infuse it with growth and learning.
So a good analysis of where you are, where you want to be and you will get there is needed every few years to ensure that your life and career are moving in a directed fashion. Personal and professional transformations are in your hands and it is a matter of making precise choices that can propel you upwards in your career track.
You get up in the morning and groan at another long day ahead. Somehow the excitement you felt for your job in the beginning has faded. Occasionally it is the monotony of doing the same thing repeatedly that gets to you and at other times you feel there is no challenge in what you do anymore.
You begin to feel unsure of yourself and overwhelmed with a sense of being stuck. You consider your options as you get dressed but nothing flies out at you as the obvious answer. You wonder why?You speculate if it is the new manager who has sucked the joy out of you or is it that you are genuinely bored and ready for a change.
If this scenario is repeating itself in your head day in and day out then it is time to take a snap poll.
Are you ready for a change?
So what would be a good way to assess whether you are ready for a change or not? The following checklist describes some of the feelings and symptoms you might be going through if you are indeed ready.
You are beginning to feel frustrated at being stuck in the job. You are being asked to repeatedly use the same skills and not being given an opportunity to develop new expertise. Will they ever give you the next promotion? Talk to your superior and see what the grand plan is.
Your boss micro manages you and is stifling your creativity and independence. Your boss may be straight out of Devil Wears Prada and then it is probably the time to type out those joyful words "I quit" or just stand up and take a stand.
Politics amongst colleagues is just not your cup of tea. Sucking up is given more importance than doing good quality work. Back-stabbing is the norm. If the personalities are just not meshing then sometimes it is simpler to move on.
Your salary is far lower than what you think another company might be willing to offer.
Very low interest in your job. You are really there to just earn your salary. The skills you use at your job do not excite you at all. You catch yourself daydreaming (all the time) about other different kinds of things you could be doing.
These are just some indications that things at work are not going as well as they should in your professional life and it may be time for a change or a re-evaluation.
Butbefore you decide to put in your papers, consider these important aspects:
Learning cycle complete
The first thing to think about, anytime you are thinking of a change, is whether you have learnt all that you could have learn from this present job. Extracting maximum learning out of a situation is paramount before opting for a change. Another point to ponder is whether moving on will also mean moving up in life.
Change is a double-edged sword. It can be used as an escapist measure or it can be used as a tool for transformation. Ideally you would like to use a move or a change as an opportunity for a make-over. It would be a pity to throw a good opportunity away just because you are going through a temporary dip.
Penny wise, pound foolish
If you are thinking about moving just because of salary and promotion aspects then definitely talk to your boss first and see if something can be worked out mutually. Some people, I notice change jobs without any major purpose except to earn a little bit more. There is documented evidence that changing jobs is a means of financial gain but it is so only in the short term.
If you are looking to build a career in any specific area then sticking to a job for several years is a good way to consolidating your learning and growth. Don't fritter away your chances of a promotion and growth in a company for a petite salary difference.
Reality check -- do you have what it takes?
What type of skills will help you get that dream job? A good way to assess this is by looking at job advertisements over a period of time to get a sense of what is needed. You could also talk to experienced people and gain from their knowledge about what they look for when they are recruiting people in their company. The vast majority of factual data relating to this issue is in the public domain and hence easy to access.
Reinforce your resume
The next question that you need to address is whether your present qualifications are adequate for the direction you would like your career to take. If not, then you need to be looking at what kinds of further qualifications you can possibly acquire to add that extra zing to your resume.
Let us take Poonam Mehta's* track record for instance. She is enjoying her job, she is well liked in her office and yet she feels a certain lack of challenge in her day-to-day existence in the office. She feels that she has maxed her potential for learning in the current job. She was hired in the sales division and she is good at marketing and meeting her targets. But now yeh dil mange more!
She wants to work in areas of strategy, brand-building and brand awareness. The management, however, felt she just did not have the background to perform well in those areas. Poonam after much weighing of pros and cons decided that she needed an additional degree before she would come back to work in that sector. She decided to apply to the UK for a degree in Innovation and Enterprise which focused on brand management, consumer behaviour thus propelling her career in the same field forward.
Different strokes for different folks
No matter how caught up we are with Potter-mania, we all know that a magic wand is really not going to transform our lives. We are the architects of our own future. We all get one life and a fixed set of opportunities to actualise our potential, transform our lives and infuse it with growth and learning.
So a good analysis of where you are, where you want to be and you will get there is needed every few years to ensure that your life and career are moving in a directed fashion. Personal and professional transformations are in your hands and it is a matter of making precise choices that can propel you upwards in your career track.
The purpose of human life ??
The purpose of human life is to enquire:
Who am I?
Where have I come from?
What will happen to me at death?
Why do I suffer?
Why do others suffer?
Who is God?
How can I serve God?
Why is there variety of living beings?
How can I get out this cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death?
How can I live eternally?
Only the human beings enquire, the animals do not enquire. Unfortunately at the present time many humans have become two legged animals.
Give up lust, greed, and anger. These force us to sin and the result is hellish life in this life and the lives after.
Give up the killing of animals, especially the cows. The animals are also our brothers and sisters. This means no meat eating and no leather (car seats, sofas, clothing).
Human birth is rare, we have to make the best use of it by not engaging in sinful activities. The sinful activities are being greedy, lusty, angry, and violence against other living beings (animals and humans).
Don’t waste this life by getting attached to the bodily platform of life (meat eating, lust, greed, anger, partying, discoing, bollywood and so on). This body is just one drop in the ocean of bodies that we are going through. A sword is hanging over y our head. It will fall at any moment. All your properties, cars, and big bank balance won't help you at the time of death. Only your service to Lord Krishna will count at death. So make the best use of this precious life by serving Lord Krishna.
All your physics, chemistry, math, computing, and business knowledge will be completely erased at death. Only spiritual knowledge will go with you, and the top most spiritual knowledge is the Bhagavad-Gita. So don't waste precious time, read the Bhagavad-Gita, listen to the Bhagavad-Gita, and watch the Bhagavad-Gita.
We are the soul and not this body. The body is temporary but the soul is eternal and immortal. Our aim in life should be to escape from fangs of material life (birth, old age, disease, and death). This can only be done by humans, who have the higher consciousness.
We can attain an immortal spiritual body full of bliss, knowledge, eternal, and without a trace of calamity if we follow the Bhagavad-Gita with seriousness.
MAIN TEACHINGS OF BHAGWAD GEETA
- Be compassionate towards all living beings, thus love all living beings. This means don't be envious or hateful of others. Be friendly to others, be nice to others, be kind to others, be generous to others, be merciful to others, be charitable to the needy. Don't cheat others, don't lie, don't steal, don't hurt others, don't drink, don't take drugs, don't eat meat, don't buy leather.
- This body you (the soul) are residing in, is temporary, but the real you, the soul, is eternal. Just as we change worn out clothes, jobs, houses, cars, partners, and so on. One day you will be forced to change your body too. So don't get too attached to this temporary body and material life. And just as a manufacturing company designs it's products today for production in the future. Similarly you are designing your next body with the actions you are taking now.
So if you think let me enjoy now and forget about the future. Thus if you think your next life is not worth thinking about now. Then your next life will be that of nothing. You will take birth among the 8 million species of living beings below that of human beings (animal and plant kingdoms).
- There is only one person who without any doubt declared himself and proved that he was the Supreme Personality of God, Lord Krishna. Always think of him, worship him, and serve him. In this age of Kali, which means the age of ignorance, there will be so many godless people who will try to make you godless too. Surrender onto the only proven God, Lord Krishna.
Do you know anyone who can lift a mountain, expand himself into thousands of forms, show the whole Universe in his mouth, put out a forest fire by swallowing it, kill all the demonic and save people in this very life. Lord Krishna did all this.
Who am I?
Where have I come from?
What will happen to me at death?
Why do I suffer?
Why do others suffer?
Who is God?
How can I serve God?
Why is there variety of living beings?
How can I get out this cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death?
How can I live eternally?
Only the human beings enquire, the animals do not enquire. Unfortunately at the present time many humans have become two legged animals.
Give up lust, greed, and anger. These force us to sin and the result is hellish life in this life and the lives after.
Give up the killing of animals, especially the cows. The animals are also our brothers and sisters. This means no meat eating and no leather (car seats, sofas, clothing).
Human birth is rare, we have to make the best use of it by not engaging in sinful activities. The sinful activities are being greedy, lusty, angry, and violence against other living beings (animals and humans).
Don’t waste this life by getting attached to the bodily platform of life (meat eating, lust, greed, anger, partying, discoing, bollywood and so on). This body is just one drop in the ocean of bodies that we are going through. A sword is hanging over y our head. It will fall at any moment. All your properties, cars, and big bank balance won't help you at the time of death. Only your service to Lord Krishna will count at death. So make the best use of this precious life by serving Lord Krishna.
All your physics, chemistry, math, computing, and business knowledge will be completely erased at death. Only spiritual knowledge will go with you, and the top most spiritual knowledge is the Bhagavad-Gita. So don't waste precious time, read the Bhagavad-Gita, listen to the Bhagavad-Gita, and watch the Bhagavad-Gita.
We are the soul and not this body. The body is temporary but the soul is eternal and immortal. Our aim in life should be to escape from fangs of material life (birth, old age, disease, and death). This can only be done by humans, who have the higher consciousness.
We can attain an immortal spiritual body full of bliss, knowledge, eternal, and without a trace of calamity if we follow the Bhagavad-Gita with seriousness.
MAIN TEACHINGS OF BHAGWAD GEETA
- Be compassionate towards all living beings, thus love all living beings. This means don't be envious or hateful of others. Be friendly to others, be nice to others, be kind to others, be generous to others, be merciful to others, be charitable to the needy. Don't cheat others, don't lie, don't steal, don't hurt others, don't drink, don't take drugs, don't eat meat, don't buy leather.
- This body you (the soul) are residing in, is temporary, but the real you, the soul, is eternal. Just as we change worn out clothes, jobs, houses, cars, partners, and so on. One day you will be forced to change your body too. So don't get too attached to this temporary body and material life. And just as a manufacturing company designs it's products today for production in the future. Similarly you are designing your next body with the actions you are taking now.
So if you think let me enjoy now and forget about the future. Thus if you think your next life is not worth thinking about now. Then your next life will be that of nothing. You will take birth among the 8 million species of living beings below that of human beings (animal and plant kingdoms).
- There is only one person who without any doubt declared himself and proved that he was the Supreme Personality of God, Lord Krishna. Always think of him, worship him, and serve him. In this age of Kali, which means the age of ignorance, there will be so many godless people who will try to make you godless too. Surrender onto the only proven God, Lord Krishna.
Do you know anyone who can lift a mountain, expand himself into thousands of forms, show the whole Universe in his mouth, put out a forest fire by swallowing it, kill all the demonic and save people in this very life. Lord Krishna did all this.
What happens if I can't forgive someone?
What happens if I can't forgive someone?
Forgiveness can be challenging. It may be particularly hard to forgive someone who doesn't admit wrong or doesn't speak of his or her sorrow. If you find yourself stuck, it may help to write in a journal, pray or use guided meditation. You may want to talk with a person you've found to be wise and compassionate, such as a spiritual leader, a mental health provider, or an unbiased family member or friend. You may also want to reflect on times you've hurt others and on those who've forgiven you. Keep in mind that forgiveness has the potential to increase your sense of integrity, peace and overall well-being.
If the hurtful event involved someone whose relationship you otherwise value, forgiveness may lead to reconciliation. This isn't always the case, however. Reconciliation may be impossible if the offender has died or is unwilling to communicate with you. In other cases, reconciliation may not be appropriate, especially if you were attacked or assaulted. But even in those cases, forgiveness is still possible — even if reconciliation isn't.
If you haven't reached a state of forgiveness, being near the person who hurt you may be tense and stressful. To handle these situations, remember that you have a choice whether or not to attend specific functions and gatherings. Respect yourself and do what seems best. If you choose to attend, don't be surprised by a certain amount of awkwardness and perhaps even more intense feelings. Do your best to keep an open heart and mind. You may find that the gathering helps you to move forward with forgiveness.
Getting another person to change his or her actions, behavior or words isn't the point of forgiveness. Think of forgiveness more about how it can change your life — by bringing you more peace, happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing. Forgiveness takes away the power the other person continues to wield in your life.
Consider admitting the wrong you've done to those you've harmed, speaking of your sincere sorrow or regret, and specifically asking for forgiveness — without making excuses. Remember, however, you can't force someone to forgive you. Others need to move to forgiveness in their own time. Simply acknowledge your faults and admit your mistakes. Then commit to treating others with compassion, empathy and respect.
Forgiveness can be challenging. It may be particularly hard to forgive someone who doesn't admit wrong or doesn't speak of his or her sorrow. If you find yourself stuck, it may help to write in a journal, pray or use guided meditation. You may want to talk with a person you've found to be wise and compassionate, such as a spiritual leader, a mental health provider, or an unbiased family member or friend. You may also want to reflect on times you've hurt others and on those who've forgiven you. Keep in mind that forgiveness has the potential to increase your sense of integrity, peace and overall well-being.
If the hurtful event involved someone whose relationship you otherwise value, forgiveness may lead to reconciliation. This isn't always the case, however. Reconciliation may be impossible if the offender has died or is unwilling to communicate with you. In other cases, reconciliation may not be appropriate, especially if you were attacked or assaulted. But even in those cases, forgiveness is still possible — even if reconciliation isn't.
If you haven't reached a state of forgiveness, being near the person who hurt you may be tense and stressful. To handle these situations, remember that you have a choice whether or not to attend specific functions and gatherings. Respect yourself and do what seems best. If you choose to attend, don't be surprised by a certain amount of awkwardness and perhaps even more intense feelings. Do your best to keep an open heart and mind. You may find that the gathering helps you to move forward with forgiveness.
Getting another person to change his or her actions, behavior or words isn't the point of forgiveness. Think of forgiveness more about how it can change your life — by bringing you more peace, happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing. Forgiveness takes away the power the other person continues to wield in your life.
Consider admitting the wrong you've done to those you've harmed, speaking of your sincere sorrow or regret, and specifically asking for forgiveness — without making excuses. Remember, however, you can't force someone to forgive you. Others need to move to forgiveness in their own time. Simply acknowledge your faults and admit your mistakes. Then commit to treating others with compassion, empathy and respect.
HELL PLANETS -- FIRE OF HELL IS CREATED BY YOU ALONE.....SO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.
What exactly is hell? The Vedic scriptures describe hell as planets where the sinners are taken after this life for their punishment.
The following are statements from the Srimad Bhagavatam canto 5.
There are thousands of hellish planets. Here are the names and details of life on some of these hellish planets. Each planet is meant for punishing the humans according to their sins.
What Punishment Awaits Animal Killers?
In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. After death, such a person is taken to hell by Yamarāja. And those living entities that were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. This hell is called Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake.
Punishment in the hell called Mahāraurava is compulsory for a person who maintains his own body by hurting others. In this hell, ruru animals known as kravyāda torment him and eat his flesh.
For the maintenance of their bodies and the satisfaction of their tongues, cruel persons cook poor animals and birds alive. Such persons are condemned even by man-eaters. In their next lives they are carried by the Yamadūtas to the hell known as Kumbhīpāka, where they are cooked in boiling oil.
If a human being kills or torments insignificant creatures. The Supreme Lord punishes such a person by putting him into the hell known as Andhakūpa, where he is attacked by all the birds and beasts, reptiles, mosquitoes, lice, worms, flies, and any other creatures he tormented during his life. They attack him from all sides, robbing him of the pleasure of sleep. Unable to rest, he constantly wanders about in the darkness. Thus in Andhakūpa his suffering is just like that of a creature in the lower species.
Those who hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows.
What Is The Punishment For Sex Outside of Marriage?
A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex.
What is the Punishment For Thieves?
A person who appropriates another's legitimate wife, children or money is arrested at the time of death by the fierce Yamadūtas, who bind him with the rope of time and forcibly throw him into the hellish planet known as Tamisra. On this very dark planet, the sinful person is chastised by the Yamadūtas, who beat and rebuke him. He is starved, and he is given no water to drink. Thus the wrathful assistants of Yamarāja cause him severe suffering, and sometimes he faints from their chastisement.
What Punishment Awaits The Misers and Those Who Are Not Charitable?
A person is considered no better than a crow if after receiving some food, he does not divide it among guests, old men and children, but simply eats it himself, or if he eats it without performing the five kinds of sacrifice. After death he is put into the most abominable hell, known as Kṛmibhojana. In that hell is a lake 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] wide and filled with worms. He becomes a worm in that lake and feeds on the other worms there, who also feed on him. Unless he atones for his actions before his death, such a sinful man remains in the hellish lake of Kṛmibhojana for as many years as there are yojanas in the width of the lake (thus 800,000 years).
What Punishment Awaits Those Who Lie?
A person who in this life bears false witness or lies while transacting business or giving charity is severely punished after death by the agents of Yamarāja. Such a sinful man is taken to the top of a mountain eight hundred miles high and thrown headfirst into the hell known as Avīcimat. This hell has no shelter and is made of strong stone resembling the waves of water. There is no water there, however, and thus it is called Avīcimat [waterless]. Although the sinful man is repeatedly thrown from the mountain and his body broken to tiny pieces, he still does not die but continuously suffers chastisement.
What Punishment Awaits Those Who Are Not Friendly or Compassionate?
A householder who receives guests or visitors with cruel glances, as if to burn them to ashes, is put into the hell called Paryāvartana, where he is gazed at by hard-eyed vultures, herons, crows and similar birds, which suddenly swoop down and pluck out his eyes with great force.
The following are statements from the Srimad Bhagavatam canto 5.
There are thousands of hellish planets. Here are the names and details of life on some of these hellish planets. Each planet is meant for punishing the humans according to their sins.
What Punishment Awaits Animal Killers?
In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. After death, such a person is taken to hell by Yamarāja. And those living entities that were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. This hell is called Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake.
Punishment in the hell called Mahāraurava is compulsory for a person who maintains his own body by hurting others. In this hell, ruru animals known as kravyāda torment him and eat his flesh.
For the maintenance of their bodies and the satisfaction of their tongues, cruel persons cook poor animals and birds alive. Such persons are condemned even by man-eaters. In their next lives they are carried by the Yamadūtas to the hell known as Kumbhīpāka, where they are cooked in boiling oil.
If a human being kills or torments insignificant creatures. The Supreme Lord punishes such a person by putting him into the hell known as Andhakūpa, where he is attacked by all the birds and beasts, reptiles, mosquitoes, lice, worms, flies, and any other creatures he tormented during his life. They attack him from all sides, robbing him of the pleasure of sleep. Unable to rest, he constantly wanders about in the darkness. Thus in Andhakūpa his suffering is just like that of a creature in the lower species.
Those who hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows.
What Is The Punishment For Sex Outside of Marriage?
A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex.
What is the Punishment For Thieves?
A person who appropriates another's legitimate wife, children or money is arrested at the time of death by the fierce Yamadūtas, who bind him with the rope of time and forcibly throw him into the hellish planet known as Tamisra. On this very dark planet, the sinful person is chastised by the Yamadūtas, who beat and rebuke him. He is starved, and he is given no water to drink. Thus the wrathful assistants of Yamarāja cause him severe suffering, and sometimes he faints from their chastisement.
What Punishment Awaits The Misers and Those Who Are Not Charitable?
A person is considered no better than a crow if after receiving some food, he does not divide it among guests, old men and children, but simply eats it himself, or if he eats it without performing the five kinds of sacrifice. After death he is put into the most abominable hell, known as Kṛmibhojana. In that hell is a lake 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] wide and filled with worms. He becomes a worm in that lake and feeds on the other worms there, who also feed on him. Unless he atones for his actions before his death, such a sinful man remains in the hellish lake of Kṛmibhojana for as many years as there are yojanas in the width of the lake (thus 800,000 years).
What Punishment Awaits Those Who Lie?
A person who in this life bears false witness or lies while transacting business or giving charity is severely punished after death by the agents of Yamarāja. Such a sinful man is taken to the top of a mountain eight hundred miles high and thrown headfirst into the hell known as Avīcimat. This hell has no shelter and is made of strong stone resembling the waves of water. There is no water there, however, and thus it is called Avīcimat [waterless]. Although the sinful man is repeatedly thrown from the mountain and his body broken to tiny pieces, he still does not die but continuously suffers chastisement.
What Punishment Awaits Those Who Are Not Friendly or Compassionate?
A householder who receives guests or visitors with cruel glances, as if to burn them to ashes, is put into the hell called Paryāvartana, where he is gazed at by hard-eyed vultures, herons, crows and similar birds, which suddenly swoop down and pluck out his eyes with great force.
The 11 Signals Your Nails are Giving You About Your Health
The 11 Signals Your Nails are Giving You About Your Health
Many people put a lot of effort into keeping their nails perfectly trimmed, cleaned and manicured. If the nails aren't perfect, the solution is often to cover them up with fake nails or polish. But ignoring such signs and viewing them as only an aesthetic problem could be dangerous to your health.
Like your skin, your nails are excellent indicators of what's going on inside your body. If your nails are healthy (smooth and pink with a slightly curved surface), your body is probably pretty healthy too. But if your nails are discolored, brittle or otherwise appear unhealthy, it may be because of an underlying health problem.
"The nails can be windows to a patient's overall health, and while the nail itself is dead tissue, the areas under the cuticle and beneath the nail are alive," said dermatologist Richard K. Scher, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology at Columbia University in New York City.
Here are 11 signals your nails may be giving you about your health.
1. Yellow Nail Syndrome: This may cause a yellow or greenish color to your nails, thickening of the nail, slowed nail growth, a lack of a cuticle and the nail may detach partially from the nail bed. This condition often signals a respiratory disease.
2. Pitting: "If you see pits on the nails, it could be a sign that you are about to develop, or that you already have, psoriasis," said Dr. Amit Pandya, a dermatologist at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center in Dallas. The small depressions on the nail could also be a sign of chronic dermatitis of your fingers or alopecia areata.
3. Clubbing: This condition describes when the nails curve around your fingertips, which are usually enlarged. It's caused by low oxygen levels in the blood and may indicate lung disease.
4. Spoon Nails: If your nails look scooped out, like a spoon, it could be a sign of iron-deficiency anemia.
5. Terry's Nails: In this condition the nails look opaque with a dark band at the tip. This can be due to aging or a more serious illness including cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes or liver disease.
6. Beau's Lines: These horizontal indentations across your nails could be a sign of malnutrition. They also may appear after serious injury or illness like a heart attack interrupts the growth of your nail.
7. Nail Separating From Nail Bed: When your nail becomes loose and separates from the nail bed, it could be related to injury, thyroid disease, fungal disease, drug reactions, reactions to acrylic nails or nail hardeners or psoriasis.
8. Brown or Black Colored Streak: This could be a sign of a melanoma under the nail. "Subungal melanoma should be suspected whenever a nail streak appears without known injury to the nail, the nail discoloration does not gradually disappear as would a bruise or the size of the nail streak increases over time," said Dr. Scher.
9. Vertical Nail Ridges: These are fairly common and may worsen with age. They do not signal any serious underlying disease.
10. White, Crumbly Nails: This is often due to a fungal infection.
11. Small White Spots: These are very common and usually recurring. They're caused by injury to the base of the nail and are not a cause of concern. The spots will grow out as your nail grows.
Many people put a lot of effort into keeping their nails perfectly trimmed, cleaned and manicured. If the nails aren't perfect, the solution is often to cover them up with fake nails or polish. But ignoring such signs and viewing them as only an aesthetic problem could be dangerous to your health.
Like your skin, your nails are excellent indicators of what's going on inside your body. If your nails are healthy (smooth and pink with a slightly curved surface), your body is probably pretty healthy too. But if your nails are discolored, brittle or otherwise appear unhealthy, it may be because of an underlying health problem.
"The nails can be windows to a patient's overall health, and while the nail itself is dead tissue, the areas under the cuticle and beneath the nail are alive," said dermatologist Richard K. Scher, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology at Columbia University in New York City.
Here are 11 signals your nails may be giving you about your health.
1. Yellow Nail Syndrome: This may cause a yellow or greenish color to your nails, thickening of the nail, slowed nail growth, a lack of a cuticle and the nail may detach partially from the nail bed. This condition often signals a respiratory disease.
2. Pitting: "If you see pits on the nails, it could be a sign that you are about to develop, or that you already have, psoriasis," said Dr. Amit Pandya, a dermatologist at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center in Dallas. The small depressions on the nail could also be a sign of chronic dermatitis of your fingers or alopecia areata.
3. Clubbing: This condition describes when the nails curve around your fingertips, which are usually enlarged. It's caused by low oxygen levels in the blood and may indicate lung disease.
4. Spoon Nails: If your nails look scooped out, like a spoon, it could be a sign of iron-deficiency anemia.
5. Terry's Nails: In this condition the nails look opaque with a dark band at the tip. This can be due to aging or a more serious illness including cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes or liver disease.
6. Beau's Lines: These horizontal indentations across your nails could be a sign of malnutrition. They also may appear after serious injury or illness like a heart attack interrupts the growth of your nail.
7. Nail Separating From Nail Bed: When your nail becomes loose and separates from the nail bed, it could be related to injury, thyroid disease, fungal disease, drug reactions, reactions to acrylic nails or nail hardeners or psoriasis.
8. Brown or Black Colored Streak: This could be a sign of a melanoma under the nail. "Subungal melanoma should be suspected whenever a nail streak appears without known injury to the nail, the nail discoloration does not gradually disappear as would a bruise or the size of the nail streak increases over time," said Dr. Scher.
9. Vertical Nail Ridges: These are fairly common and may worsen with age. They do not signal any serious underlying disease.
10. White, Crumbly Nails: This is often due to a fungal infection.
11. Small White Spots: These are very common and usually recurring. They're caused by injury to the base of the nail and are not a cause of concern. The spots will grow out as your nail grows.
Just A Quarter
Just A Quarter
Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas.
Some weeks after he arrived, he rode the bus from his home to the downtown area.
When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, " You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it."
Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little of an amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."
"When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."
When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, "Oh, God," I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas.
Some weeks after he arrived, he rode the bus from his home to the downtown area.
When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, " You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it."
Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little of an amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."
"When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."
When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, "Oh, God," I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Krishna and The Cow Boy
Krishna and the Cowboy
Krishna was a very poor boy. He lived in the village with his mother. His father was dead. When Krishna was five-year-old, his mother sent him to school.
The road seemed very long. Krishna thought he had lost his way. He went on and on, till he saw the other village boys going to school. He joined them, and at last reached school.
He had a happy time at school. When lessons were over, he played games with the other boys. It was almost dark when he set out for home.
It was a long way back to home. It grew darker and darker. Krishna was very much afraid. He did not know what to do. So he began to run, and he did not rest till he was in his mother's arms.
Next morning Krishna told his mother that he did not want to go to school. "But," said his mother, "You had a happy time at school yesterday, my child, and learnt many beautiful things! You said you loved your lessons. Why do you not wish to go to school today?"
"I love school and my lessons, mother," replied, "but I am afraid to go alone through the woods, they are thick and dark."
The poor mother stood for a minute, thinking what to say. She was very poor to send anyone with her son to school. At once the name of lord Krishna came to her mind. So she said to Krishna: "You don't know, my child, their lives in these woods another son of mine who is always there near the path. Whenever you are afraid, call out Him, 'O Cowboy Brother, come with me to school!' He will come at once and take care of you, and then you will not be afraid.""
And Krishna said, "Is it really true, mother, that my Brother, the Cowboy, will come to take care of me on my way to school?"
"Yes, it is true, my boy," said the mother, "He loves you as a brother does, and will never fail to come to your help when you call out to Him."
So Krishna set out like a brave boy. But he had not gone very far when he began to feel afraid. So he called out, "O Brother Cowboy, Brother Cowboy, come and play with me!"
A Boy appeared out of the tree, took the child's hand, and led him to school. When they came near the school, He parted from him, saying: "Call Me again on your way back to home."
Every day, Krishna, while going to and coming back from school, would call the Cowboy. They would play together all the way. The Cowboy was so kind and good that Krishna came to love Him as he had never loved anyone before.
And when, day after day, Krishna told his mother all about Him, she was not in the least surprised. She knew it was the Child Krishna who came to her son's help every day.
So time went on. Then one day the school master said:" tomorrow I want to give a feast . All of you, my boys, must bring presents."
So Krishna said to his mother that night, "Mother, our noble teacher is going to give a feast tomorrow. What should I take to him?"
The child's words made the mother very sad. She knew she was very poor and could not give anything to her little boy for his teacher. But at the same time she did not want her son to give no present to his Master.
So she said to him, "My boy, I am too poor to give you anything for your teacher. But, while going to school in the morning, ask your Brother to give you something." She knew that the child Krishna would help them.
So in the morning Krishna said to the Cowboy: "O Brother, my teacher is going to give a feast today. All the boys will be bringing presents. It will look so bad if I give him no present. I am too poor to give anything. Will you, give me something foe my Master?"
"What can I give you, O brother? What am I but a poor Cowboy? Here is a little bowl of milk. That's all I can give you, Krishna. It is only a poor Cowboy's present. But you must give it to your teacher, "said the Cowboy.
Krishna went to his master's house with the present. He waited behind a crowd of boys who were handing over what they had brought.
Krishna waited a long time, but no one saw him. The poor boy became very sad. At last the teacher happened to look at him. He took the small bowl of milk from his hands and went to empty it into a big pan. But great was his wonder when the little bowl filled up again. Again he tried to empty it, and again the little bowl was full. And so he went on emptying it again and again, but still the little bowl was full.
All those present there wondered what it meant. Krishna also wondered. He now understood for the first time that the Cowboy Brother was no other than the Child Krishna Himself.
The teacher asked him, "From where did you get this milk?" Krishna replied, "From my Brother, the Cowboy Brother, who lives in the woods."
"Who is He?" asked the teacher.
"One who comes and play with me on my way to school," replied Krishna.
"Can you show me your Brother in the woods?"
"Yes, if you come along with me, Sir."
So in the evening the teacher and Krishna went together to the place. When they got there, Krishna called: "Cowboy Brother! Brother Cowboy! Won't you come?" but no Cowboy appeared. Krishna did not know what to do. He called and called, but there was no answer.
At last the boy, full of grief, cried, "O Brother Cowboy, if You do not appear, they will think I do not tell the truth."
Then came a sound, as it were, from the deep woods, which seemed to say, "No, my little brother, I cannot show my face to your master. He still has long way to wait."
Krishna was a very poor boy. He lived in the village with his mother. His father was dead. When Krishna was five-year-old, his mother sent him to school.
The road seemed very long. Krishna thought he had lost his way. He went on and on, till he saw the other village boys going to school. He joined them, and at last reached school.
He had a happy time at school. When lessons were over, he played games with the other boys. It was almost dark when he set out for home.
It was a long way back to home. It grew darker and darker. Krishna was very much afraid. He did not know what to do. So he began to run, and he did not rest till he was in his mother's arms.
Next morning Krishna told his mother that he did not want to go to school. "But," said his mother, "You had a happy time at school yesterday, my child, and learnt many beautiful things! You said you loved your lessons. Why do you not wish to go to school today?"
"I love school and my lessons, mother," replied, "but I am afraid to go alone through the woods, they are thick and dark."
The poor mother stood for a minute, thinking what to say. She was very poor to send anyone with her son to school. At once the name of lord Krishna came to her mind. So she said to Krishna: "You don't know, my child, their lives in these woods another son of mine who is always there near the path. Whenever you are afraid, call out Him, 'O Cowboy Brother, come with me to school!' He will come at once and take care of you, and then you will not be afraid.""
And Krishna said, "Is it really true, mother, that my Brother, the Cowboy, will come to take care of me on my way to school?"
"Yes, it is true, my boy," said the mother, "He loves you as a brother does, and will never fail to come to your help when you call out to Him."
So Krishna set out like a brave boy. But he had not gone very far when he began to feel afraid. So he called out, "O Brother Cowboy, Brother Cowboy, come and play with me!"
A Boy appeared out of the tree, took the child's hand, and led him to school. When they came near the school, He parted from him, saying: "Call Me again on your way back to home."
Every day, Krishna, while going to and coming back from school, would call the Cowboy. They would play together all the way. The Cowboy was so kind and good that Krishna came to love Him as he had never loved anyone before.
And when, day after day, Krishna told his mother all about Him, she was not in the least surprised. She knew it was the Child Krishna who came to her son's help every day.
So time went on. Then one day the school master said:" tomorrow I want to give a feast . All of you, my boys, must bring presents."
So Krishna said to his mother that night, "Mother, our noble teacher is going to give a feast tomorrow. What should I take to him?"
The child's words made the mother very sad. She knew she was very poor and could not give anything to her little boy for his teacher. But at the same time she did not want her son to give no present to his Master.
So she said to him, "My boy, I am too poor to give you anything for your teacher. But, while going to school in the morning, ask your Brother to give you something." She knew that the child Krishna would help them.
So in the morning Krishna said to the Cowboy: "O Brother, my teacher is going to give a feast today. All the boys will be bringing presents. It will look so bad if I give him no present. I am too poor to give anything. Will you, give me something foe my Master?"
"What can I give you, O brother? What am I but a poor Cowboy? Here is a little bowl of milk. That's all I can give you, Krishna. It is only a poor Cowboy's present. But you must give it to your teacher, "said the Cowboy.
Krishna went to his master's house with the present. He waited behind a crowd of boys who were handing over what they had brought.
Krishna waited a long time, but no one saw him. The poor boy became very sad. At last the teacher happened to look at him. He took the small bowl of milk from his hands and went to empty it into a big pan. But great was his wonder when the little bowl filled up again. Again he tried to empty it, and again the little bowl was full. And so he went on emptying it again and again, but still the little bowl was full.
All those present there wondered what it meant. Krishna also wondered. He now understood for the first time that the Cowboy Brother was no other than the Child Krishna Himself.
The teacher asked him, "From where did you get this milk?" Krishna replied, "From my Brother, the Cowboy Brother, who lives in the woods."
"Who is He?" asked the teacher.
"One who comes and play with me on my way to school," replied Krishna.
"Can you show me your Brother in the woods?"
"Yes, if you come along with me, Sir."
So in the evening the teacher and Krishna went together to the place. When they got there, Krishna called: "Cowboy Brother! Brother Cowboy! Won't you come?" but no Cowboy appeared. Krishna did not know what to do. He called and called, but there was no answer.
At last the boy, full of grief, cried, "O Brother Cowboy, if You do not appear, they will think I do not tell the truth."
Then came a sound, as it were, from the deep woods, which seemed to say, "No, my little brother, I cannot show my face to your master. He still has long way to wait."
The REFLECTION OF YOUR CHARACTER
The 'Duplicate' Artist
There was a king who was a great admirer of art. He encouraged artists from all over his country and gave them valuable gifts.
One day an artist came and said to the king, "Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it. It will be more beautiful than anything you have ever seen before. I promise you shall not be disappointed. "
Now, the king happened to be constructing a big hall at the rear end of the palace. So he said, "All right you may work on one of the walls in the new hall." So the artist was given the job and he was very pleased indeed.
Just then, another young man said, "Oh King! Please allow me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist." The king said, "What would you like to make?"
The man said, "My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his work. I would even request you to have a thick curtain put up between the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other."
Now, that was a tall statement. Everyone in the king's court, including the king and the first artist were intrigued. But the King loved surprises and he decided to give the young fellow a chance.
The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the artists got to work.
The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc. The second one would come with a cloth and a bucket of water every day.
After a month the first artist told the king that his work was complete and he would like to show it to the king. The king sent for the second artist and asked him, "Young man, when would your work be ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening." The man said, "My Lord, my wall is ready too!"
The king went to see the first artist's wall. He was very, very impressed with the painting and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up. The same painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true! Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall. But this man had not been seeing what was going on, on the other side of the curtain. So how had he done it?
The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the fellow. Then he said, "Young man, I am indeed very happy with your work. But you must tell me; how did you do it?"
The man said simply, "It's very easy! I just polished the wall every day! It was a wall made of white marble! The fellow polished it till it shone like a mirror. The reflection of the painting across the room, showed up in it! "
That is what it means to polish yourself.
For when we polish our hearts and souls, we see God's reflection within.
It is said that the world is a reflection of you.
Whatever you are, the world will seem to be that too.
If you are sad, jealous, dejected, angry, restless ... That is what the world will seem to be!
If you are happy, the world will seem to be paradise.
You decide how you want your world to look
There was a king who was a great admirer of art. He encouraged artists from all over his country and gave them valuable gifts.
One day an artist came and said to the king, "Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it. It will be more beautiful than anything you have ever seen before. I promise you shall not be disappointed. "
Now, the king happened to be constructing a big hall at the rear end of the palace. So he said, "All right you may work on one of the walls in the new hall." So the artist was given the job and he was very pleased indeed.
Just then, another young man said, "Oh King! Please allow me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist." The king said, "What would you like to make?"
The man said, "My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his work. I would even request you to have a thick curtain put up between the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other."
Now, that was a tall statement. Everyone in the king's court, including the king and the first artist were intrigued. But the King loved surprises and he decided to give the young fellow a chance.
The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the artists got to work.
The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc. The second one would come with a cloth and a bucket of water every day.
After a month the first artist told the king that his work was complete and he would like to show it to the king. The king sent for the second artist and asked him, "Young man, when would your work be ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening." The man said, "My Lord, my wall is ready too!"
The king went to see the first artist's wall. He was very, very impressed with the painting and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up. The same painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true! Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall. But this man had not been seeing what was going on, on the other side of the curtain. So how had he done it?
The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the fellow. Then he said, "Young man, I am indeed very happy with your work. But you must tell me; how did you do it?"
The man said simply, "It's very easy! I just polished the wall every day! It was a wall made of white marble! The fellow polished it till it shone like a mirror. The reflection of the painting across the room, showed up in it! "
That is what it means to polish yourself.
For when we polish our hearts and souls, we see God's reflection within.
It is said that the world is a reflection of you.
Whatever you are, the world will seem to be that too.
If you are sad, jealous, dejected, angry, restless ... That is what the world will seem to be!
If you are happy, the world will seem to be paradise.
You decide how you want your world to look
The Three Trees and their Destiny
The Three Trees and their Destiny
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Good Life
While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 yr old son picked up a stone and scratched lines on the side of the car.
In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times, not realizing he was using a wrench.
At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.
When the child saw his father..... with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?'
The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.
Devastated by his own actions..... . sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.
The next day that man committed suicide. . .
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life & remember this: Things are to be used and people are to be loved.
The problem in today's world is that people are used while things are loved.
Let's try always to keep this thought in mind:
Things are to be used, People are to be loved.
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
I hope you have a good day no matter what problems you may face it's the only day you'll have before it's over
In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times, not realizing he was using a wrench.
At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.
When the child saw his father..... with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?'
The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.
Devastated by his own actions..... . sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.
The next day that man committed suicide. . .
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life & remember this: Things are to be used and people are to be loved.
The problem in today's world is that people are used while things are loved.
Let's try always to keep this thought in mind:
Things are to be used, People are to be loved.
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
I hope you have a good day no matter what problems you may face it's the only day you'll have before it's over
I Have learned
I've learned - that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.
I've learned - that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.
I've learned - that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned - that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned - that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned - that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do.
I've learned - that it's not what happens to people that's important. It's what they do about it.
I've learned - that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned - that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.
I've learned - that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned - that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.
I've learned - that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned - that you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I've learned - that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned - that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I've learned - that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned - that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned - that learning to forgive takes practice.
I've learned - that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.
I've learned - that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned - that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned - that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned - that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned - that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I've learned - that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, it doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned - that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I've learned - that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would if they believed it.
I've learned - that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.
I've learned - that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned - that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned - that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned - that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned - that sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to.
I've learned - that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
I've learned - that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions. I've learned - that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I've learned - that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned - that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I've learned - that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.
I've learned - that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.
I've learned - that no matter the consequences, those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.
I've learned - that no matter how many friends you have, if you are their pillar you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.
I've learned - that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I've learned - that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I've learned - that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.
I've learned - that the paradigm we live in is not all that is offered to us.
I've learned - that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned - that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon.
I've learned - that although the word "love" can have many different meanings, it loses value when overly used.
I've learned - that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
I've learned - that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.
I've learned - that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned - that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned - that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned - that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do.
I've learned - that it's not what happens to people that's important. It's what they do about it.
I've learned - that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned - that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.
I've learned - that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned - that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.
I've learned - that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned - that you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I've learned - that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned - that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I've learned - that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned - that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned - that learning to forgive takes practice.
I've learned - that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.
I've learned - that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned - that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned - that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned - that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned - that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I've learned - that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, it doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned - that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I've learned - that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would if they believed it.
I've learned - that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.
I've learned - that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned - that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned - that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned - that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned - that sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to.
I've learned - that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
I've learned - that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions. I've learned - that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I've learned - that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned - that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I've learned - that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.
I've learned - that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.
I've learned - that no matter the consequences, those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.
I've learned - that no matter how many friends you have, if you are their pillar you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.
I've learned - that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I've learned - that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I've learned - that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.
I've learned - that the paradigm we live in is not all that is offered to us.
I've learned - that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned - that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon.
I've learned - that although the word "love" can have many different meanings, it loses value when overly used.
I've learned - that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
The amazing cucumber!--- Kakdi -- it is just a WOW and Amazing
The amazing cucumber!
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don't have time for a massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don't have time for a massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
How To Bond With The Best
How To Bond With The Best
It does seem that pain and misery don’t fit in this beautiful earth. Then why is it that many come to grief?
One source of trouble is human relationships. Conflicts abound within families, among neighbours, colleagues and friends. Even the very best of individuals commit unintended mistakes, breaking up relationships. Living in isolation is no alternative because we are interdependent and need one another.
Why should interpersonal relationships pose such a challenge? The root of the trouble lies in human nature. As the Bible puts it succinctly, “What comes out of a man defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts…” (Mark 7: 21). These elements colour our reactions to peoples and events. It is not the events or circumstances themselves that matters, but our reactions to them. To recognise this is wisdom indeed. To rid these evil propensities, we need the love of God and fellow beings to take hold of us. The Spirit of God works within man to produce a love that does not keep a record of wrongs. A love that is unconditional and unfettered.
Ordinary people of faith have a sense of their dependence on the Eternal. They no longer consider themselves as indispensable masters of their own destiny. As the saying goes, the graves are full of indispensable people. That brings in certain humility in one’s conduct and conversation; teaches one to be less selfish and more considerate towards others.
The best formula for good interpersonal relationships is the Golden Rule: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you!’ This rule articulated in the Bible by Jesus is enshrined in most faiths. If you wish to be loved, appreciated and respected by others, you need to be the same mind towards them. If you hope to be forgiven, it is necessary to forgive those who have wronged you.
A forgiving spirit is essential for the maintenance of relationships because we are by nature imperfect. Good conduct demands that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Anger and revenge do not promote righteousness and in fact blind us to the reality. ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ makes the whole world blind. Our conversation, proceeding from an enlightened heart – enlightened by the Spirit of God – will promote love and understanding. Love is the perfect material that bonds humans in good relationships. A contrary spirit will engender prejudices and hatred.
Theologian Cuyler considered how the good Lord moulds and shapes us through circumstances and situations. He penned the ideal prayer that should create the ideal inner environment for good interpersonal relationships. ‘Oh how often our all wise Master put us into a deep pit of trial, to subdue our pride or to tame our passions, or to break our stubborn will. Blessed is he who can look up unto the countenance of Jesus and say: ‘Master, my rebellious self is dead, that thou may live in me and i may live for Thee and Thee alone!’
It does seem that pain and misery don’t fit in this beautiful earth. Then why is it that many come to grief?
One source of trouble is human relationships. Conflicts abound within families, among neighbours, colleagues and friends. Even the very best of individuals commit unintended mistakes, breaking up relationships. Living in isolation is no alternative because we are interdependent and need one another.
Why should interpersonal relationships pose such a challenge? The root of the trouble lies in human nature. As the Bible puts it succinctly, “What comes out of a man defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts…” (Mark 7: 21). These elements colour our reactions to peoples and events. It is not the events or circumstances themselves that matters, but our reactions to them. To recognise this is wisdom indeed. To rid these evil propensities, we need the love of God and fellow beings to take hold of us. The Spirit of God works within man to produce a love that does not keep a record of wrongs. A love that is unconditional and unfettered.
Ordinary people of faith have a sense of their dependence on the Eternal. They no longer consider themselves as indispensable masters of their own destiny. As the saying goes, the graves are full of indispensable people. That brings in certain humility in one’s conduct and conversation; teaches one to be less selfish and more considerate towards others.
The best formula for good interpersonal relationships is the Golden Rule: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you!’ This rule articulated in the Bible by Jesus is enshrined in most faiths. If you wish to be loved, appreciated and respected by others, you need to be the same mind towards them. If you hope to be forgiven, it is necessary to forgive those who have wronged you.
A forgiving spirit is essential for the maintenance of relationships because we are by nature imperfect. Good conduct demands that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Anger and revenge do not promote righteousness and in fact blind us to the reality. ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ makes the whole world blind. Our conversation, proceeding from an enlightened heart – enlightened by the Spirit of God – will promote love and understanding. Love is the perfect material that bonds humans in good relationships. A contrary spirit will engender prejudices and hatred.
Theologian Cuyler considered how the good Lord moulds and shapes us through circumstances and situations. He penned the ideal prayer that should create the ideal inner environment for good interpersonal relationships. ‘Oh how often our all wise Master put us into a deep pit of trial, to subdue our pride or to tame our passions, or to break our stubborn will. Blessed is he who can look up unto the countenance of Jesus and say: ‘Master, my rebellious self is dead, that thou may live in me and i may live for Thee and Thee alone!’
A Story of Two Screws - Short Story
A Story of Two Screws
Once upon a time there were two screws fastening a vital part of a gasoline engine. One of the screws was haughty and proud of it's shining head. The second screw was quiet, intent only on doing its job to the best of its ability.
One day a speck of rust appeared on the head of the second screw. Filled with vain pride of its own beauty, the first screw began to laugh at the second. "Your head is tarnished," the first said to the second. "Look at you. Your perfect luster is gone."
The second screw said nothing. Instead, it concentrated on what it was doing. "How ugly you have become," the first screw chortled, "and how beautiful I have remained." Then it began to laugh so hard at the second screw that it failed to notice that it was working itself loose. Finally it dropped off the engine and plunged into a small pool of dirty oil below.
With the first screw no longer holding up its end of the load, the second was faced with doing the work of two. Meanwhile the first screw, now covered with grimy oil, wailed and lamented. "Just look at me! I'm dirty and filthy and all my beauty is gone. By laughing at the blemish on my friend the second screw, I worked myself loose and fell into the muck. Now I'm doomed."
Now, it just so happened that a short time later the owner of the engine started it up. He immediately noticed that something didn't sound right -- the engine was running rough. When he checked, he instantly saw that one of the two screws holding the vital part was missing. "Ah ha!" the owner said. "One of the screws must have worked itself loose and fell to the ground, but I don't see it. Maybe it fell into that puddle of old oil."
The owner reached into the oil and found the missing screw. "Look at you," the owner said. "You're all covered with grime and oil. How ugly you are. But I will fix that right away." The owner reached for a nearby rag and wiped all the oil and grime off the first screw until it shone even brighter than before. Then he replaced it on the part. Before he turned away, he noticed a little speck of tarnish on the head of the second screw. With the second rag, he wiped the head clean and bright. Then the owner walked away.
Finally the engine was started. The two screws, now equally beautiful, held the part tight. "Forgive me, my friend," the first screw said to the second. "In my vanity, I was so busy laughing at your blemish that I did not notice that I was working myself loose."
"And what have you learned?" the second screw quietly asked.
"I learned not to judge others because I have my own sins to deal with."
"Then," the second screw said, "I forgive you."
"Thank you, my friend. And rest assured, my vanity will remain forever at the bottom of that dirty puddle of oil."
Once upon a time there were two screws fastening a vital part of a gasoline engine. One of the screws was haughty and proud of it's shining head. The second screw was quiet, intent only on doing its job to the best of its ability.
One day a speck of rust appeared on the head of the second screw. Filled with vain pride of its own beauty, the first screw began to laugh at the second. "Your head is tarnished," the first said to the second. "Look at you. Your perfect luster is gone."
The second screw said nothing. Instead, it concentrated on what it was doing. "How ugly you have become," the first screw chortled, "and how beautiful I have remained." Then it began to laugh so hard at the second screw that it failed to notice that it was working itself loose. Finally it dropped off the engine and plunged into a small pool of dirty oil below.
With the first screw no longer holding up its end of the load, the second was faced with doing the work of two. Meanwhile the first screw, now covered with grimy oil, wailed and lamented. "Just look at me! I'm dirty and filthy and all my beauty is gone. By laughing at the blemish on my friend the second screw, I worked myself loose and fell into the muck. Now I'm doomed."
Now, it just so happened that a short time later the owner of the engine started it up. He immediately noticed that something didn't sound right -- the engine was running rough. When he checked, he instantly saw that one of the two screws holding the vital part was missing. "Ah ha!" the owner said. "One of the screws must have worked itself loose and fell to the ground, but I don't see it. Maybe it fell into that puddle of old oil."
The owner reached into the oil and found the missing screw. "Look at you," the owner said. "You're all covered with grime and oil. How ugly you are. But I will fix that right away." The owner reached for a nearby rag and wiped all the oil and grime off the first screw until it shone even brighter than before. Then he replaced it on the part. Before he turned away, he noticed a little speck of tarnish on the head of the second screw. With the second rag, he wiped the head clean and bright. Then the owner walked away.
Finally the engine was started. The two screws, now equally beautiful, held the part tight. "Forgive me, my friend," the first screw said to the second. "In my vanity, I was so busy laughing at your blemish that I did not notice that I was working myself loose."
"And what have you learned?" the second screw quietly asked.
"I learned not to judge others because I have my own sins to deal with."
"Then," the second screw said, "I forgive you."
"Thank you, my friend. And rest assured, my vanity will remain forever at the bottom of that dirty puddle of oil."
Things only which MOTHER'S CAN TEACH
My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION:
"Just wait until your father gets home."
My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:.
"You are going to get it when we get home!"
My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE:
"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Don't talk back to me!"
My Mother taught me LOGIC:
"Because I said so, that's why."
&
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE:
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."
My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:
"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."
My Mother taught me ESP:
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"
My Mother taught me HUMOR:
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
My Mother taught me about SEX:
"How do you think you got here?"
My Mother taught me about GENETICS:
"You're just like your father."
My Mother taught me about my ROOTS:
"Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE:
"When you get to be my age, you will understand."
My Mother taught me about JUSTICE:
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like."
My mother taught me RELIGION:
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
My mother taught me FORESIGHT:
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
My mother taught me IRONY:
"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:
"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"
My mother taught me about STAMINA:
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."
My mother taught me about WEATHER:
"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."
My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?"
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't Exaggerate!!!"
My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE:
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:
"Stop acting like your father!"
My mother taught me about ENVY:
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"
"Just wait until your father gets home."
My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:.
"You are going to get it when we get home!"
My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE:
"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Don't talk back to me!"
My Mother taught me LOGIC:
"Because I said so, that's why."
&
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE:
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."
My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:
"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."
My Mother taught me ESP:
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"
My Mother taught me HUMOR:
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
My Mother taught me about SEX:
"How do you think you got here?"
My Mother taught me about GENETICS:
"You're just like your father."
My Mother taught me about my ROOTS:
"Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE:
"When you get to be my age, you will understand."
My Mother taught me about JUSTICE:
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like."
My mother taught me RELIGION:
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
My mother taught me FORESIGHT:
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
My mother taught me IRONY:
"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:
"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"
My mother taught me about STAMINA:
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."
My mother taught me about WEATHER:
"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."
My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?"
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't Exaggerate!!!"
My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE:
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:
"Stop acting like your father!"
My mother taught me about ENVY:
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"
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