Good morning friends.  They say that everything that happens to our life is not depending with our hands.  Everything we do is with the blessing of our God.  All we have to do is be contented and let go. I read a good article which  Jay Panda, a politician, express his thoughts.  I know it will help many and be an eye opener to everyone.  The Times of India   

Life itself is synonymous with growth. Various events in my life have been spiritual lessons from which I learnt and grew as a person. 

I believe that each individual is guided by a special force that helps him grow and move ahead in life. There have been many ups and downs in my life, like when my mother passed away. That was a difficult situation for me but I found solace in the supreme force called the Almighty.

Contentment and purity lie within oneself and one cannot hunt for it in the outside world. Our relationship with the Supreme Being gives solace and for some, this comfort is found in temples. It’s completely up to individuals to choose their way of connecting with the Supreme Power.

Many fears that we sustain within us also come from our insecurities. So, at this juncture, when the world is seeing so much chaos and unhappiness, I would love to ask God to show us the path to overcome these insecurities. Everyone should keep in mind that material happiness is fleeting and the only constant thing that is here to stay is inner bliss and satisfaction, which is the main wealth one earns in a lifetime.

Looking outwards or going to a spiritual guru may not be the solution for me, but it works for some people who turn to them for attaining peace and contentment. I believe the true nature of spirituality is that silent understanding you have when you “just flow”.

I have discovered that as I endeavor towards my spiritual quest in life, it’s important to be ever so vigilant of the ego. I’m not out to prove that my belief is better than anyone else’s, only to understand what the Great Spirit has communicated.

Good morning friends.  People work harder when about to face difficult task.  They prepare themselves to face the task.  They want to be sure that they will have a good result.

People tend work harder when they know that a difficult and demanding task is awaiting them in near future, a new study claimed calling it a ‘get ready mindset’.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the more difficult a future task was expected to be, the harder people worked on a current task because of “get ready mindset”.

“It seems reasonable to expect that when people know that they will have to work hard on a future task, they will devote less effort to the current task, in order to save energy for the upcoming demanding task. This is not what we found,” said lead author Hans Baumgartner from Pennsylvania State University.

In a series of five studies, the authors observed that the more difficult a future task was expected to be, the harder people worked on a current task. 

“For example, an individual consulted more information on a web page when he was asked to evaluate a new soft drink when he expected that he would later on have to work on a difficult and demanding task,” write the author. 

Other participants were better able to come up with weight loss ideas when they believed they would have to work hard on a future job. The authors titled the phenomenon the “get ready mindset.”

“People seem to prepare themselves mentally for upcoming tasks, but in doing so, the resources that are freed up for the future task carry over to current tasks,” the researcher said, adding “We found consistent evidence that if the mind gets ready to perform later, it is set to go now.” – Indian Express

Just be a witness and do not get identified. Relax your body, your mind and then finally just be a witness. Let not your ‘I’ get identified with your body and mind. This de-identification is meditation.

What about emotions in a state of worry?

Firstly, negative emotional states like that of worry and jealousy must be observed and recognized. Generally, we do not see them. Instead, we become them. While a negative emotion is happening, be an onlooker. Then the emotion will be like a cloud that comes and goes.

To stop a negative emotion that comes out, create a new will through the intellectual centre. This is not suppression as you are doing it with an understanding that if negative emotion is let loose, it will create a hurt body. In turn this hurt body will take control of you.

Worry is a form of identification. It is useless. Unfortunately, many of us think it is right to worry about someone we love. Give up this voluntary form of suffering. By worrying you exhaust yourself. Your energy gets depleted. In a depleted state, one cannot perform to the optimum level. Learn to take small steps, stop worrying. Weed out the worry as it emerges. Do not allow the other centers to support and nourish it.

What do you mean when you say we live in two worlds?

One is visible and outer while the other is invisible and inner. The outer is your body that is visible. The inner is your psychology. The object of spiritual teaching is to lead a person from unconscious being to conscious being.  – The Times of India

Good morning friends.  In our life, sometimes we worried things that shouldn’t be.  We worry things but in truth, nothing to get worried.  As maybe some don’t get aware that worry is a voluntary form of sufferings.  When we got worried, our emotions suffered a lot.  I would like to share with you one article I’ve read. 

What is it to be a witness, to just be? 

The Buddha was once meditating. His mind started creating problems and distracted him from the path of enlightenment. It was as though hundreds of horses were galloping through his mind. But the monk remained a witness and did not identify with fear. His mind turned into thousands of elephants tempting him to identify with them, but again Buddha was just a witness… he saw through the mind’s game. His mind became a loving deer but still Buddha remained a witness. He did not get tempted.

Finally, his mind turned into a loving child drowning in the ocean, seeking his attention. Buddha, out of compassion, merged with his thoughts and stretched out his hands to save the drowning child. At once, the child turned into a monster and started pulling Buddha to the ocean. Buddha realized his folly and left the monster and continued being a witness. The monster turned again into a child and started pleading for help.

Buddha continued his meditation of being not participating but being a witness. The child drowned in the ocean and emerged as an enlightened mind, reflecting Buddha’s mind. This is a play narrating Buddha’s effort towards enlightenment.

Is the shunning of identification an important aspect of meditation?

Learn to be a witness to your thoughts and feelings. In the witnessing consciousness, there is no identification with anything. Identification leads to misery. Worry is a form of identification. Literally, worry means twisting and tearing. Have you observed that when you worry, your moving centre gets twisted? Negative state of worry depression or fear… shows up strongly in the form of twisting one’s body-moving centre.

We try to protect ourselves from fear through the influences of worldly life…by acquiring more money and more power. But spiritually we can insulate ourselves from fear, only if we have trust.

We were secure in our mother’s womb. At term when we were pushed out into the world, it was as though we were facing death. We experienced tremendous fear.

After being born, is it death or birth that marks our lives?

Trust that when one door closes, another door opens. Such trust insulates us from fear. The spiritual way of seeing is, if there is an impression or a negative impression of fear in the mind, one has to de-identify with it. This detachment or de-identification is the insulation that i am talking of. In yoga, it is called atma smaranam, self-remembrance.

What happens when we insulate ourselves from negative impressions?

Worldly influences do not touch us. Instead, we would be in touch with higher vibrations and open ourselves for higher influences. The higher centres in us are constantly communicating something profound to us, but we close ourselves to them. It is like a cup turned upside down. No amount of rainwater can fill the cup. The moment we are available for higher vibrations, we attract nobler aspects of life. Lower states attract lower aspects of life while the higher states attract higher aspects of life. This is the law of attraction.

Why is devotion necessary?

Devotion activates our higher centres. Devotion purifies our emotions. Devotion allows the finer vibrations to flow into our lives. With devotion, your third eye or intuitive eye opens, and you would see many meaningful coincidences occurring in your life. You will see the mysterious hand of God blessing you. – The Times of India

Two-hour interactive sessions and modules of meditation will be conducted by trained teachers every Sunday. Contact: Noida: 9312939812, 9810472906. Dabri-Palam road: 9868503034. For details visit: www.prasannatrust.org

Good morning everyone.  There are some people who has materialistic living.  They found happiness on that.  But did you know that you will have the best part of your living spiritually?  Just explore the path to your spiritual living and you will see the best meaning in your life.  There is one article I have read and it shows the way on how to discover or see the sights of spiritual living. 

Is spiritual practice a must for everyone? 

You have to insulate yourself from the effects of worldly living. The environment has its strong impact. The external world is in a rat race for greed, glamour and respectability. It does not bother about real joy and purity. Naturally, external influence affects an individual. In this rat race even if one wins one continues to be a rat. Glamour gives you an illusory joy but your soul needs to grow.

‘Why does a fish in an ocean try to jump out?’ asked a Zen student.

‘The fish is trying to explore a world beyond the ocean,’ answered the Master.

Consciousness in each one of us is like a fish that wants to explore the unknown, to evolve and grow. If you do not insulate yourself from negative forces, there will be a leakage of energies and that would hamper your growth. So it is necessary not to struggle in life and not allow negativity to control your life. One has to learn to float in life, to let go, let in the essentials and negate unessential feelings.

How can I insulate myself from negative influences?

People live life in fear. It is out of fear that they worship; out of fear they get married; out of fear of insecurity they beget children. Whenever fear emerges, there is a leakage of energy. Fear creates a hurt body and it then tries to survive by quoting philosophy and logic.

Young people appear to take for granted all the comforts and luxuries provided by parents. Often enough, one hears parents claim that they have brought up their kids in the best possible manner — even if it meant bribing someone, or lying or being dishonest. But shouldn’t parents stop and think about the dangerous effects of their children indirectly benefiting from dishonesty.

Parents need to confront these issues. They have nothing to do with changing times. They have everything to do with sound basic values. Such matters need to be thrashed out delicately with children. This can only happen if a parent spends enough time with his/her child.

As any parent will agree, it is always easier to say “yes” than “no” to one’s child. It is easier to agree than disagree. But it is unwise to take the easy way out. It is wise to recognize how exactly society has changed. Sometimes, money has replaced family time. Sometimes, modern parents are too self-absorbed to pay attention to their children. Whatever the problem, the best parenting is by example. Give way on everything else, but not on fundamental values. Howsoever fashionable the values of the day, it is only the basics handed down the generations that can keep society rooted and on the right path.

Change is inevitable but it should be positive. There is no argument but that change must occur. But change must never be allowed to affect core moral values.

HOME TRUTHS

The early years are crucial to instill fundamental universal values in a child. It is these values that will last him/her a lifetime.

Children increasingly tend to question authority and this change must be accepted — and handled — by parents and teachers.

In our modern times, the authoritarian parent has had to move into the role of friend. The openness that comes with this is an advantage. – The Times of India

(As a former diplomat’s wife, Shobhana Balakrishnan has been associated with schools and social organisations in many countries across the world)

Today’s children watch parental behavior closely. Leading by example is the only mantra that can work. Children increasingly tend to question authority and this change must be accepted — and handled — by parents and teachers.

A child may mock one’s “old-fashioned values” because they may not fit into his/ her way of thinking, or interfere with his/her plans, but it is only possible to impart values to children if the parents’ lives are governed by the same principles.

Parents have to exemplify what they want their child to be. Children don’t respect and believe their parents just because they are their parents. In our modern times, the authoritarian parent has had to move into the role of friend. The openness that comes with such sharing is an advantage, but it can also result in an overly casual attitude towards parents. It is very different from times gone by when the parent’s wish was the child’s command and the parent’s authority was unquestioned. Wise parenting means practicing one’s beliefs, keeping one’s your values strong and voicing them in context even as one accepts positive changes in a child’s so long as his/her basic values are intact. 

It is not necessarily a problem if today’s child want to be independent in views and behavior from a very early age. For instance, even the motivation to “make money” need not be seen as against family values so long as he/she tries to get rich using methods that remain within the framework of fundamental values. It is only by accepting that times change that parents can perceive this as a forward movement by a young and dynamic generation. But there is a lot to frighten the older generation.

For instance, young people’s tendency to live life luxuriously without a thought for tomorrow or any apparent appreciation of all that it took to create wealth and opportunity. It is frightening to see the easy arrogance that comes with the next generation’s easy access to money and consumer goods.

Good morning friends.  Sometimes there’s a change in our life which we can’t accept. No matter what bad or good will changes, we should absorb it. 

There will always be conflict between generations. The older generation is expected to change with the times. They are made to believe that their archaic thinking is not in sync with modern trends. The younger lot, on the other hand, is expected to follow in the elders’ footsteps.

Our thinking is largely shaped by our family, school and workplace. While change is inevitable and our thoughts keep evolving with the changing times, there are some traits that do not lose their relevance even with the passage of time — honesty, empathy, integrity, compassion, tolerance, humility and respect. In that case, should such universal norms also change? And if so, what could be the implications?

To be a parent is a challenging task, especially in these times of rapid change. Having traveled and lived in different parts of the world, I believe that we are in a new age, in which the new generation has a new outlook. Its approach to life, people and the environment is dominated by a more detached and practical approach, with less idealism and more cynicism. Fundamental values have a place only if these fit in with their lives, rather than their lives being designed around these values.

Parents must accept this change in a child’s attitude. Wise parenting lies in instilling basic values in children, keeping in mind their changing mindset and adapting one’s approach accordingly. A sensible approach would be to accept that society will and should change, hopefully for the better. Accepting change while inculcating core values is the key to sound parenting. The early years are crucial to instill fundamental universal values in a child. It is these values that will last a lifetime.

Weakness on the part of parents in inculcating these basic values will mean the next generation will behave worse, possibly showing disrespect to parents and grossly abusing parental support solely to fulfill personal desires.

The process of strategizing while solving a problem throws up many facets of ourselves that we never knew existed. Adversity has been a blessing often enough and ought to be respected rather than feared. Complications arise most often because we take things personally and too seriously. Surrender only destroys self-esteem. Fighting enhances it. The difference between the two is just a matter of attitude.

Helplessness is a state of the mind. Most successful businessmen and corporate executives are paid for their ability to keep cool in the most trying of circumstances. They probably begin where others stop trying. Fixing the blame is not what absolves one of failure. Fixing the problem is the only redemption.

Anger, fear, resentment and frustration only muddle neural networks. They are mere manifestations of the fight, flight or fright response. What is actually needed is a right, bright, and trite response. This response can only be attained with a calm and controlled thought process. Knee-jerk responses are just reflexes without any form of cerebration. They are most often fruitless. A deliberate, conscious effort needs to be inculcated to programme a conditioned response.

A positive approach is a big help, as it tends to activate the right brain, the one that has great intuitive abilities. The most appropriate response to any problem would be whole-brained. That is with both the right and left hemispheres giving their inputs. The dominant half — the left-brain in right-handed persons and right brain in left-handed persons – enables analysis, logic and assessment. It tends to be a fragmentary approach.

The right has a more intuitive, subtle and holistic approach. A combined two-pronged approach is much more likely to bring out the best in adversity — and make it easier for the butterfly in you to take wing. – The times of Indian