Wednesday, February 25, 2009

THE VALUE OF MONEY

Money is currency, served as a medium of exchange. Money is a source of survival of our livelihood. Money is extremely significant for a man to lead his life happily and comfortably. Money affords to buy luxuries, comforts, creature and beauty of surroundings. Money keeps us comfortable, can be promise for a secure future.

The goodness of wealth resorts to ‘No need to looking behind’. Money is an indicator of practical success, but money itself cannot make us successful. Our attitude towards money has a significant reflection on our attitude to life.

Money plays the role of a recognized value. There is a temptation for money. People love it, and go all out to earn as much of it as they can. Some people money is for excitement. Some are known for making money and holding it. Some people have an ambition to earn more money for a noble purpose.

Virtue tends to our improvement and vice to our degeneration. Do not sell virtue to purchase wealth, neither liberty to purchase power. It stops our growth and limits our possibilities.

Republics end through luxury; Monarchies through poverty.

A greedy, simply desires and motivated to get as rich as possible at the expense of others. He will never acknowledge the down side of his own incredible greed. Greediness makes him to crave for money. Resorting to shortcuts removes one from spirit.

When we let money to dictate our life, we become its slave; and in the end, money begins to rule us.


Money is very important, yet it is not everything. Money alone can not buy happiness. Happiness is needed more for wealth, than wealth is needed for happiness.

A man who has lots of money leads restless, and fear of unknown life. Greedy people are anxious all day making money and worried all night that he would lose it. Money also breeds misery and suffering. He is very cautious and wise, doesn’t believe friends and people. A lock is always better than suspicion. And he doesn’t really know whether the friends are there for him or for the money. He is prone to fear and doubt, that people try to use him to their advantage.

People rely on something that is not certain and end up getting upset. Uncertainty causes a craving for stability.

A prudent man lays by something to be use in his old age. He who is prudent in his youth feels happy in the afternoon of his life. A prudent man does not make the goat his gardener.

Prudence pays in the long run. It is better to be safe than sorry. You can be courteous, gracious and discriminating with being a prude.


In a state of ignorance, people forget that the most reliable thing in the universe is ourselves, and start relying on money as a source of security. When people lack faith in the Divine or in their own abilities or in the goodness of society, they suffer from a deep sense of insecurity.


The reason some people are stingy is also the reason they are rich. The miser lives in misery in fear that his hoarded wealth may not last till his endless future. There is such a thing as too much foresight. Requesting a miser to help with money is extracting blood out of stone. There is no come and go with him.

Miserliness is to be grieved; one who is not a giver even when there is wealth is to be grieved. – Sri Chandrasekhar Saraswati Swami, Kanchi

The deeply imbedded fear of dependence in old age is what makes many of them live so economically as to be called stingy. But that's really too harsh a word. Economy does not have to mean cheap.

Some focus entirely on making money, forgetting that money without time and energy to spend it is worthless.


Where money accumulates, men decay. Idleness is an appendix of nobility. One saves; another reaped. A man who lives above his means is sure to be ruined. He grieves more than is necessary, who grieves before it is necessary.

Peace makes money and money makes war.

Generations together, in rich families it is so normal they have big clashes and separations. Because of money and property, one's own people will turn inimical. There is bad blood between the two brothers owing to a dispute about property. And close relatives fight with each other for money and property. People split because of money and possessions.

The true fraternal relationship is that remains enduring without any wealth disparities.


Wealth is an important factor that can lead to disparities among people. When wealth is centralized the people are dispersed. When wealth is distributed the people are brought together.

Wealth can be attained through one's skills, abilities, inheritance or through corrupt means. The means of attaining wealth brings its own consequences.

The very motive for corruption is peace and happiness. Yet peace and happiness remain elusive when the means are corrupt. Corruption is an assault on consciousness.

Most people with money are arrogant, because of the feeling of independence that money brings.

The awareness of dependence on the other hand makes one humble. The basic human quality is taken away by the false feeling of independence.

Possessing money brings arrogance, rejecting it too makes one arrogant. Some people who renounce money take pride in their poverty to draw attention and sympathy. When we reject or hate something, we can never transcend it.

Honor wealth as Goddess Lakshmi - the consort of Narayana. The goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is every unstable. Wealth is highly unstable.

A hypocrite is aware of what he is doing. He is pretentious with his false face, very subtle and manipulative, cringe from sycophancy. Too much courtesy, shows too much craft. He always tries to divert your attention and potential to exploit others. Cleverness is not wisdom. Cleverness of any type will eliminate the spirit.
Cleverness, common sense, coupled with a sense of humor will enable him to turn even rejection to his own advantage by revealing to one and all, what a truly caring and generous person he is.


Our income is like our shoes; if too small, they pinch; if too large, we stumble. Every extra thing you own is trouble.


A man, who has earned money, should also earn common sense(to quit). Common sense sometimes deserts us. To earn is difficult, to preserve it is more difficult. When a man is happy, he does not hear the clock strike. Pride is due to illusion. Where boasting ends, there dignity begins.

Praise makes good man wise, and bad man worse.



Sometimes we lack exposure and do not know what is happening around us. If you're extravagant, you simply spend money like water. Money will flow away like water drops falling on the bamboo leaf. When we really come to realize, everything diminishes, is a disaster. For example, money is just like water in our hands, but just through our loose fingers all the water drains out.

Money: It is something you earn. It is something you save. It is something you spend sparingly and wisely. It is something you absolutely never waste or throw away carelessly.

Enjoy when you can and endure when you must. If you buy what you do not need, you will need what you cannot buy. Spend thrift to be generous. Be gist before you are generous.

Will waste bring woeful wart. Who goes borrowing, goes a sorrowing. Be sensible in spending your money. It is more sensible to be safe than sorry. Prevent and prohibit wrong things.

Problems arise when we are unable to handle ourselves dexterously. Sometimes a cash crisis will work out in your favor. A man who will not repeat his earlier errors, money will never be scarce. Scarcity of funds reveals lack of good temperament. Should you wish for abundant prosperity, do not cringe before the wealthy.

A man without money in the society is a failure; mismanagement of finance leads a person to penury. No man is useless while he has a friend. A poor man has no friends. People around will not accept him nor willing to join with him. He, who comes uncalled, sits un-served. He feels like a fish out of water in a situation. An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult. Celebrate publicly. Cry alone, in other words, “Never let others see you sweat.” Detach yourselves from uncontrollable situations.

It is often better not to see an insult than to avenge it. - Seneca Edmond

As long as you have the ability to earn money, so long people will be attached to you. After that no one would even speak to you a word. And no one would like to shower words of praise on you.

Money is the only security against human sufferings. Hopefully a financial risk may be better than an emotional one.

Money makes many things. Money is a sweet balm; it heals all wounds.


Money makes the world go around. A man, one being rich and wealthy is attributed with every beneficial quality. Money is very important in one’s life and the acquisition of money and its management contributes in making successful in life.

Give advice to all but be security to none.


The value of good money is earned by doing well to the others. The act of giving is also an act of self fulfillment. He, who wants to do well, knocks at the gate; he who loves everything good finds the gates open. Should we long for luck to come to others, money will move to us.

Money we earn would not just benefit us, but also contributes to a better and prosperous society.


Goddess of Wealth

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

YOGA AND MEDITATION

Yoga is spiritual discipline to link oneself with the God. Yoga refers to the union of your will to the will of God, enabling you to look sagaciously at life from all its myriads of aspects.

Yoga practice is more or less based on the principles of the Patanjali, the famous exponent of the yoga system.

Yoga practice is meditation on the soul within. To practice yoga, one should lay holy kuss grass (dharba mat) on the ground; cover it with a soft cloth, should sit on it and practice yoga. It shall be a zone of leisure and peace where loneliness can transform into solitude. The sacred kuss grass improves concentration of the mind. – Kanchi Swami

Brahma(for creation) the base, the middle Vishnu(to sustain and protect the creation, and upper part Maheswara(for termination) resides in kuss(dharba) grass. So kuss(dharba) grass is very sacred and holy.

Concentration removes mental disturbances and strengthens the mind. Concentration of the mind increases to concentrate on the inner knowledge. Increasing knowledge gradually decreases ignorance. The purpose of life is to reduce ignorance and to bring about harmony or equanimity.

Ignorance is the root cause of sorrow. Ignorance is holding on to the past and viewing an image that is not permanent, as permanent. Ignorance is thinking you have certain thoughts and emotions when you do not. There is accompanying ignorance inside.

In yoga, it is not man, but the spirit that awakens the depths, that calls from inside. When a little of your ignorance consents to transform itself into knowledge, a spark of light is seen in the mind.

To know the spirit is to be inwardly full. You should accept it as a way of life; the outer life will be abundant.

An unreliable man or woman cannot go far in life and cannot come near the divine.

Discipline is to unite yourself to unite all the loose ends of your existence. Make changes to become positive, flexible and energetic.

Practice makes any difficulty seem less. Reduce over-eating, decrease fat and salt consumption to enjoy better health and healthy mind.

Fasting for one day in a week, for instance gives peculiar powers over human body. Fasting could be "as a great weapon of indulgence as restraint." - Mahatma Gandhi

Verily, Yoga is not for one who eats too much or who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much or who does not sleep at all. - Gita

Even so, sleeplessness causes nervous breakdown, and man becomes unfit for any kind of work, much less for meditation.

Moderation in food and recreation (like working, talking etc.), in sleep and wakefulness, are the conditions of Yoga, the Meditation of the Self. Unless the body is light and strong, meditation is difficult to practice. So, regulation of food and sleep is prescribed as the first condition of Yoga. - Gita

The body if not regulated is itself the chief obstacle for spiritual realization.

There are many pretenders, make a show of meditation. A pretender’s mind is always a show of yogic meditation has no value what so ever. One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender. A pretender may also speak on dry philosophy, in order to bluff sophisticated followers, is the greatest hypocrite.
Dry philosophy is separated from direct experience. Conduct, practical life is the essence of all religion and philosophy.– Bhagavad-Gita

Though the mind is held under restraint by spiritual practices, it will go back to its original position if let free. One who is not self-controlled and whose mind is disturbed cannot practice meditation.

Yoga practice without the control of conscious mind, is a waste of time. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Running thoughts in the mind out of control is the surface level of your mind.

You expect enlightened behavior from everybody around you, and when you do not behave in an enlightened way, how can you expect everyone else too.

There are so many repulsions and so many attractions that lure the mind. Everything tries to keep the mind from sinking into bliss. It is the consciousness that puts you down.

Comfort is different for different people. Shorter your comfort, the more miserable you are. This is because life is vast; you are comfortable is only in a limited sphere.

When you are happy, you are so up and when you are unhappy, you are so down. Your mind swings up and down. You are too much excited or you put yourself down. This is called duality.

Personality signifies the inner endowment, not the outer appearance. Personality is the quality which makes a person what he is as distinct from other persons. Manners are outer behavior, which may not reflect what one feels inside. Manners that truly reflect what one feels are behavior. Manners are outward and behavior is inner, but both issue from the surface of one’s being.

The organized character lies deeper at various levels of intensity. Character lies at the depth of your most serious thought that stands for your values.

Words used and body language reflect your state of mind. The Divine does not care about your behavior. The Divine only cares about how you are inside. The Divine cares for how you feel inside, whether you feel stiff or free from within.

Some people are very nice on the outside, but they are very rough inside. Some people are very rough on the outside, but nice inside. Some may be very polite on the outside, their behavior is very nice, but inside, they are stiff.

However, people do not care how you feel inside. They just care about how you are outside. If you are not stiff inside, if you are like a flower inside, automatically you become gentle on the outside. It is preferable to be rough outside and gentle inside, rather than gentle outside and rough inside.

One man may speak beautiful language and express beautiful thoughts, but he does not impress people. Another man speaks neither beautiful language nor has beautiful thoughts, yet his words may charm. Where thought can turn into action, there creativity can bloom into expression.

Usually, when you are comfortable, you are not steady. You are not sitting erect. And when you are erect, you are so stiff. You are not comfortable.

Your happiness depends on the extent of your comfort zone. So Asana is something that depends on your comfort zone. You are not just the mind; you are not the body. You are the combination of body and mind. Your body language shows what you are within you.

If someone walks with stiff and elevated shoulders, there is so much of ego and stiffness in that person. They twist their neck and walk in some particular manner. They are not comfortable with people. So, stiffer you are, stiffer the body, stiffer the mind. To loosen up your mind, to loosen up your ego, to expand yourself, you need to do certain exercises, certain posters. These postures are called Asana.

Patanjali also says that the posture should be firm and comfortable. The posture which is steady and comfortable is Asana. Asana is that which enables you to maintain the equanimity. Asana is not just doing exercise. Whichever posture brings you comfort and stability that is Asana. Asanas have to be coordinated with the breath and with awareness.

The ultimate goal of life is to continue spiritual activities silently, desiring perfection. God situated in one’s heart is the object of yoga practice.

In yoga, the body, breath and the mind are all united. It is slow motion, moving from one posture to another posture. Yoga postures, exercises and breathing techniques, aimed to develop strength, physical endurance and well-being.

An ideal life style based on yoga that helps to remove stress and leads to relaxation of the mind. Yoga is extremely effective in reducing the allergy symptoms by tempering the immune system’s response to the offender. The treatment and the remedy both should start from mind only.

Yoga means union of the individual-Self with the universal. Yoga is possible only when the mind is steady. The mind is sustained by the practice of Yoga. - Gita

When the mind is energized with the yoga, it develops self-confidence and the individual besides curing his diseases also cures the other diseases. Yoga strengthens your muscles and joints. Blood circulation to the organs will improve. Yoga strengthens the body’s natural resistance, helps the body block toxic reactions, and strengthens the liver, which boosts the immunity.

Yoga, attempts in the beginning to enter into meditation through regulative principles of life and practice of different sitting postures are considered fruitier material activities. All such activities lead to achieving perfect mental equilibrium to control the senses. When one is accomplished in the practice of meditation, he ceases all disturbing mental activities.

Several breathing techniques cleanse all the negative impressions that are embedded deep with in the body.

Pranayama is an ancient breathing technique which leads to control emotions, balancing the head and heart. Prana is the life force and vital energy acquired through breathing. Pranayama is breath control, as a means of advancement in yoga.

Persons, who are learned in Vedas, utter Omkara. After uttering 'OM' there will be silence. 'OM' merges into silence. The OM mantra is a most sacred syllable in Vedic culture. It enhances and sharpens the intellect and purifies the body.

'OM' comes from Sama Veda. One should restrain the mind from unnecessary thoughts; control of senses is called Sama. - Bhagavad-Gita

Pranayama does the internal purification. Pranayama helps the healthy functioning of the nerves. By chanting of OMkara, circulation of blood increases there by increasing the capacity of lungs and lengthen the breath.

The regulation of breath, the withdrawal of the senses (from their respective objects), the inquiry consisting in the discrimination between the eternal and the non-eternal, the method of mind-control associated with the muttering or chanting of mantras - perform these with great care. - Bhaja Govindam of Sankara Bhagavatpada

Chanting of 'OM', as we develop this ability, we can progressively dissociate ourselves from material objects and desires of the flesh.


Pranayama or regulation (in specific ways) of breath holds the secret to a good body and sound mind. By consistent practice of pranayama, the heart rate slows down, blood pressure goes down, relax the chest muscles, stress fades away and the mind gets calm.

Practice makes man perfect. Practice and dispassion, the mind can be controlled. The effect of the practice, purifies the inner organ, the mind. - Gita

Yoga teachers world over insist pranayama is the best way to calm down. Pranayama improves calmness of the mind and digestion capability. It is very beneficial in stomach disorders.

Regular exercise improves thinking, learning and memory functions. Form is temporary. Class is permanent. Punctuality must be a way of life. Research says, “Success is sure for the rigid practitioner.”

The yoga of self-control is meditation. Meditation is based on attainment of individual moral perfection; the attainment of inner purity.

Meditation contemplation and prayer can become a way of life for people, even while engaged in onerous duties of life. The need for you to meditate on all that is positive is to get moving with the right energies.

First learn to love one another purely and unselfishly, and contemplate your navel. Love for other is only love of Self in all things. Love others as you love yourself, feel of others as you feel for yourself. Love needs space to grow untangled.

Meditation is inner breathing; breathing exercises to balance flow of energy. Just as we breathe outer air while doing pranayama, we breathe consciousness. Cleanliness, happiness, penance, self-study and devotion to God are the rules or niyamas.

Meditation as a spiritual exercise or a just a way of distressing. Through meditation you learn to keep anger under control, feel free from restless body, mental stress and strain. Meditation helps you wash everything out.

Yoga and meditation practice will purify body and mind, and removes all dual conceptions such as happiness and distress, pleasure and pain.

Meditation causes relaxation. Gradually you feel light and focused. Meditation helps to focus, analyze the situations dispassionately. Your inner energies will unfold. Your negative emotions will be transformed. You are tuned with the nature. Above all, meditation triggers creativity.

Meditation is superior to ascetic practices mentioned in the Vedas like fasting etc., causes elevation in the general level of consciousness. It brings about transformation in our perspective on life.

The navel is the source of vitality, the seed source from which everything else comes. Consciousness must be pushed down to the source, to the roots. Only then there is the possibility of transformation.

Yoga practice is not meant for attaining any kind of material facility; it is to enable the cessation of all material existence. - Bhagavad-Gita

Yoga actually means Bhakti yoga; all other yoga’s are progressions toward the destination of Bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga is the highest perfection stage of the yoga system, is confirmed in all Vedic literature. The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in Bhakti yoga – Bhagavad-Gita

Bhakti is greater than karma, Jnana and Yoga. Purification is attained by karma yoga; illumination by Bhakti and Dhyana(meditation); union by Jnana yoga. Love of God is Bhakti, Bhakti alone directly leads to liberation. Jnana (real knowledge) is difficult but Bhakti (devotion)is easy.

Devotion and karma-yoga are inseparable twins. Devotions is profound meditation on one's own nature. By the practice of karma-yoga, the mind becomes very pure. Devotion towards Iswara deepens. Realisation of the Truth dawns only in a pure mind.

As far as Self-realisation is concerned, Bhakti-Yoga is especially practical. Determined faith in God is the beginning of Bhakti-Yoga. One who gets total devotion does not aspire for anything else. He knows neither sorrow nor hatred. He does not seek sensual pleasure. He masters his senses.

Bhakti-Yoga is the purification of senses. Knowledge will develop to the point of meditation. People steeped in meditation, who care not for worldly pleasures and saints endowed with true knowledge of the self are impersonal towards life.

Yoga and meditation gives you inner peace and harmony, better health and longer life.

OMKARA-The Absolute Truth

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

SPIRITUALITY

The crown of spiritual life is the vision of unity. Make God your guide when you walk on the path of life. Let God be your life.

Spirituality, has been defined as expansion beyond the ego and personality into union with the universal Divine or what we call God. It goes with the development of the basic virtues of love, peace, truth, right action and non-violence.

Spirituality is different types of faith and different kinds of worship. Faith in God originally comes out of the mode of goodness.

Man has to go through the transitional stages of prayer, devotion, service and self-surrender to God. Surrender your tomorrow to God, to find peace in your life today. Surrender to the Lord with faith and devotion.

Destiny is powerless before Divine Grace. The entire creation constantly moves towards the Divine.

Each soul is potentially divine. Divinity clearly controls human nature, external and internal. Divinity is the spiritual status, manifests holiness and faith.

Spirituality takes many forms; either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy. It is not connected to a specific belief or form of worship. It can be about the experiences and expressions of one’s spirit or the soul.

For many people, spirituality is simply a search for meaning, values and purpose of life. Some people satisfy their spiritual yearnings by seeking harmony with nature and the universe. Some people express spirituality through music, meditation and art.

Art plays an important role in awakening the vital energy of our inner most being and leads us to self-transformation. The growing confusion that has at present clouded, creative effort will clear only when art becomes a means of life; and life a means of art, to enlarge and expand human consciousness.

The art experience is valuable for it spreads love, peace and compassion.

Spirituality gives highest enlightenment for the progression of life. Spirituality gives utmost powers of patience and moral strength, humanity and faith in an inner voice.

Spirituality guides you to the righteousness path where the seen and unseen profits abound. – Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati Swami, Kanchi

An “age” of four yugas, which cycle perpetually: Satya or Krita-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dwapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. As the ages proceed from Satya to Kali, religion and the good qualities of men gradually decline.The stages of evolution of inner personality in Yugas:

Man thrives with knowledge and wisdom. He does work and accomplishes in Krita-yuga.

The man who makes his mind up to work; observes his duty in Treta-yuga.

The man is in dilemma(doubt) whether to accept the responsibility; is attracted towards wealth, with greediness in Dwapara-yuga.

Inert person, who is the most negligent of his work, and is filled with desires in Kali-yuga, an age of quarrels(fighting or war) and hypocrisy. Kali-yuga, is also called as karma(action)-yuga.

In Kali-Yuga, age of quarrels and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the God. There is no other way.

Man can observe contemplation in Krita(the golden era); perform sacrifice(Tretagni) in Treta and worship in Dwapara. But man can only utter God’s name in Kali, as he is helpless to observe all other rituals. This is how and why singing in praise of God, gains momentum in the Kali-yuga.

Men can inspire to fight but women inspire to unite.

"All things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by a constant movement."

The Vedas are known to be impersonal and eternal. Vedas teach us the immortality of soul. Vedic hymn or a transcendental sound can help you elevating and achieve spiritual awakening. Sacred chants of the Vedas, chanting and exposition of mantras spreads divine grace, for the improvement of principled life.

Every sacred mantra has in itself the potency of the spirit. A mantra is a sound that creates a specific energy pattern in the mind. By chanting and hearing the sound vibrations create a change in the energy formations in one’s consciousness.

When enlightened by pious activities, people approach the God in different capacities-as the distressed, those in want of money, the inquisitive, and those in search of knowledge.

Belief in God, prayer, contemplation and other activity sanctified by practice by generations are for the human spirit. When people get disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of chanting the holy name of the God. You will be saved by unknown spirit, even in defenceless circumstances.

Worshipping God, guides towards realisation of spiritual values.

Prayer to God is selfish in the beginning, becomes selfless later on and purifies the devotee's mind. By constant chanting God's name one's ear, tongue and mind are engaged. Prayer is the mystic meditation, is very easy to practice. Prayers help in self-protection; in hostile and adverse circumstances. Prayer and meaning in life are described as information gained by experience. Prayers are very important, even more important than the ritual of stiff daily exercise.

Bhagavad-Gita laid stress on action or karma yoga. The action one has done cannot be destroyed until he has borne its fruit; no power in nature can stop it from yielding its results.

A virtuous man alone can clearly hear the soul's inner voice. Virtuous actions of the past produce intellect and realisation through dedicating the fruits of one’s work to God. Dispassion and detachment does not want to destroy men but to bring about in them a transformation and a change for the better.

In the world everything causes fear, and in dispassion alone is fearless. When dispassion develops, the mind immediately stops thinking of the external world and it is immediately drawn into the Self.

Fear arises only when the Self is forgotten and the objective world assumes the air of reality. The sage alone is free from fear, because he has seen and known the imperishable Reality. Freedom from fear comes from firm understanding of the Truth.

One of the life’s challenges is to sift knowledge from information. Knowledge signifies a complete understanding of the situation, object or person. A person full of mere information becomes egotistic. So, he cannot bow down and be humble. Wisdom has no relation to information.

Information about an object, person or situation, however, can change with a person’s growing awareness. There is no real destruction in nature; apparent destruction brings new forms of life.

Perception alone is creation. There is no creation other than perception. Perception is reality. Perception of a thing is its origination. Perception through the sense organs is indeed wondrous. Perceptions can also be highly subjective and biased by previous experience.

A man, who believes in the law of karma, is ready to face any challenge in life. He is free from confusion, is dexterous in action and has faith in God as well as man of humanity. He believes that material activities, for which on incurs subsequent reactions, produced by a cause which is good and noble.

The identity of truth and wisdom with all other virtues had first struck me on reading the Vedas. - Mahatma Gandhi

The Vedic wisdom advises, in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master who is in the discipline succession.

The mode of ignorance: Spirituality is inherent in everyone of us. It is due to the cover of Maya or ignorance, we are unable to identify it in us. An ignorant performs his duties with attachments to material existence. Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence. An intellect and learned engages in all kind of activities, but completely freedom from material existence.

Gradually one can change his position from ignorance to goodness. Every little action has its effect on character. With every struggle in life you evolve a little.

Spirituality is very important for human being, to achieve an inner harmony and spiritual health. The more you feel the presence of God, the more you feel free.

In order to keep the balance of social tranquillity for progress in spiritual life; social service and a company of holy persons’ are essential to ensure success in life.

A person who understands, values, make proper use of essentials to keep him fit and healthy for the purpose of self-realisation, leading to the ultimate goal of life, namely liberation from the material struggle for existence.

Spiritual path is attainable while fulfilling one's responsibilities towards family, work and society. The deviation and declining from duty does not help you in the progress of spiritual life, neither does it even give one the opportunity to become famous in the world. For spiritual progress, man believes, desires, strives for, acts and plans, projects according to his vision. Individuality is to be maintained on spiritual grounds, and elevate your spirituality.

Persons who chant the holy names of God, are far advanced in spiritual life, even if born in families of different castes and religions. Such chanters have undoubtedly performed all kinds of austerities and sacrifices, bathed in all sacred waters and finished all spiritual studies.

Observation brings wisdom, not old age. - Proverb

Wisdom removes the shadow of ignorance and the distress of darkness. Ignorance is bondage and freedom from ignorance is liberation. Bondage and liberation exist not in the self, but in the mind.

God was simply "an undefinable, mysterious power that pervades everything." - Mahatma Gandhi

The divine pleasure is gifted life with instinctive wisdom to care and cater for the progression of life.

The whole world is the garnet of the Lord. Renounce it, then and receive it back as the gift of God. Renunciation is itself the law of life. When we speak of action undertaken without regard for the fruits of action we mean renunciation. That is renunciation of fruits. - Mahatma Gandhi

A man aspires for humanity is very sober and sophisticated, and his mental qualities were one of respecting the tradition without discarding and disparaging the modern trends. For humanity, spiritual power is the protection, the healing of the body, the soul and the spirit, and unity of rise divine love and peace.

Happiness comes through self-realization. Inner- realization should lead to outer expression of love and compassion.

Humanism, love of wisdom, scientific bent of mind, knowledge and expression, peace and harmony; joins all together gives the power of spirituality. Spirituality develops the expansion of personal love into universal love for all beings. It develops inner spiritual peace which remains unaffected in any situation, regardless of external events.

God Consciousness is the only way for inner peace. Peace is the experience of the soul. Peace has spiritual quality. Bhakti or devotion is in tense, love of God is said to open the way to spiritual illumination.

Spirituality brings wisdom, true knowledge of oneness, refinement and Liberation. Desiring perfection in spirituality, one practices celibacy.

One possessed of strong dispassion and a burning desire for liberation from the snares of samsara(cycle of birth and death) would do well to lead a life of celibacy. To such aspirant, married life is a mere obstacle serving no useful purposeful. This is not to derogate married life.

By leading a life of detachment, in spite of being in the midst of worldly activities, the householder not only raises himself up spiritually but also becomes a great source of good to the world.

Vows of silence, fasting, celibacy, self-study and meditation, are practiced by many for Self-realization.

Celibacy is essential for spiritual life. The body and mind acquire tremendous energy and power by celibacy. Celibacy is spoken of as a vow. It is the highest vow unequal in purity and power.

Harmony and Peace

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

YOUTH

In youth, we want to change the world; in old age we want to change the youth. - O W Holmes

Youth is that stage in life when all possibilities look real. The energy and strength of youth is life and felicity. Youthful life is eternal and immortal.

Parents today, want their children to function in accordance with their conscious levels. They expect quick results, irrespective of their age, oblivious of the state and conditioning of their consciousness level. Most of them relate a truly successful life to experience related exposure, academic excellence and material success.

Help your children to grow as good citizens. Teach your children in youth and they will not teach you in old age.

Some tips to ensure and enable the right things to enjoy your wonderful youth:

  • Try to have good food to develop a healthy body, as to grow healthy mind.
  • Eat to live but do not live to eat.
  • Diseases are caused mostly by over eating and lack of proper exercise. What we eat during our younger years directly reflects upon the quality of our future health.
  • All those who suffer physically and mentally easily blame others.
  • Good sleep is better than medicine. Lack of sleep will do more harm than good.
  • Talk slowly but think quickly.
  • Economy does not have to mean cheap.
  • Hasty climbers have sudden falls. An old saying, “The pride comes before a fall.” You should guard against ego.
  • “Success” comes before “work”, only in the dictionary.
  • You must have an ideal. Ethics itself is not the end, but the means to the end.
  • Spare some time for prayer to God, it leads to give you peaceful life.
  • A journey of thousand miles begins with one step. - Chinese proverb

Nowadays, some parents are both highly educated and good professionals. Parents having long working hours, busy schedules, and with other responsibilities, getting very little time to spare, and unable to pay you total attention. Try to understand them, and co-operate with your warm love and affection.

Youth must have regard for their parents and elders. Many young people do not behave properly even with regard to their parents.

Some parents move in silence, hoping for but never getting, and a show of affection, communication and warmth. Think about your relationship with them. Your understanding springs from genuine mutual sympathy and affection. You must understand, each of you have been conditioned by your upbringings, responses and influences. You never get to choose your parents but you can choose your friends.

The words of Ravindranath Tagore say, "The faith waiting in the heart of a seed.....promises a miracle of life which it cannot prove."

Contemplate the future with patience, even if you feel someone close at home is behaving strangely. The reason for a person off-handed behavior and unsympathetic attitudes is not that he/she is not uncaring. Try to realize that he/she may be suffering from the weight of his/her emotional burdens and responsibilities, unable to pay full attention to you.

Anyone who bears true love in his/her heart does not need to wear a constant smile on his/her face. Love must simply be there as the inner motive for your actions.

When somebody at home, or at any other place you reside seems to be in a pushy mood, then you may have to give way if trouble is to be avoided. Adaptability is the whole mystery of life.

Speaking of problems only helps you to deeply entrench the thought pattern and not to remove it. Look for the good in any situation and you will see that the answer has already been provided.

A closed mouth catches no flies. - Italian Proverb

Silence strengthens your thought power. Silence is intuitive experience.

If heaven drops a date, open your mouth. - Proverb

The only way to gain control over your life is to first accept, acknowledge and then face your own insecure feelings and fear. Courage is often caused by fear. The more you learn to surrender, the fears will disappear, the more courageous you will become.

Your reliable behaviour towards others make you feel happy. You have to find out, what’s good, true and sensible in your life, through the experience you have learned and gained.

You need to have an open mind, to know your true self. Your outer world and its situations are a reflection of your inner world. Self-awareness must be nurtured and developed.

Your manners, personality reflect how you are guided and by whom you are influenced. Personality is the quality which makes a person what he is as distinct from other persons. Good behaviour is an indicator of intelligence.

Learn is realise the immense intelligence you possess but out of which you remain unaware.

An intelligent person is one who knows when to use his common sense and not his intelligence. Common sense as normal native intelligence, is being open to new ideas, listening to the other person, and not being rigid in your beliefs. Common sense sometimes deserts us.

Politeness is a virtue. It costs nothing, polite behaviour pleases one and all, spreads happiness. More doors are opened with ‘please’ than with keys.

Manners and money make a gentleman. Smartness succeeds better than softness in this harsh cold world. Severity is allowable where gentleness is in vain. Only money could not buy happiness. Contentment that alone can bring happiness. When contentment is there no body is going to put you down.

Charisma of contentment: Calm, Clear, Confidence, Commitment and Creativity.

In youth, some are motivated by success, some are motivated by making money, and some enjoy creativity and artistic ability etc. If you find meaning in your life, you will look forward. As you grow, you learn more. It is the growth in your mind.

The mind is nothing but the level of consciousness that we are in at various stages of life. “It is the attitude in our life and not our aptitude that decides our altitude in our lives.” - Swami Vivekananda

Try to lead disciplined life from the young age. If it is to be..... it is up to me. Execution and excellence comes from discipline. Discipline will transform your life. Learn and understand everything through your experiences, to grow and expand your life.

Work very hard on any one subject and master it.

Any work done sincerely will not become small or little in this world. Everything is important and essential, do it dexterously it will give you more satisfaction. For some work you need more patience, for some other you need to be aggressive and dynamic.

Remove all idleness, aimlessness and procrastination.

Will-power is the ability to overcome laziness and procrastination. It is the ability to control or reject unnecessary or harmful impulses.

We wish we do not have to do things today that may need to be done, therefore we procrastinate and become less effective. To break the procrastination habit, get a creative in coming up with ideas of how to get the work done as you are in thinking of reasons not to do it.

The fruitful living of your life is only possible through wise utilisation of time. Time is the stuff of which Life and dreams are made. The harmonious blend of investing life with principle, exact routine and regularity in activity effectively eliminates all idleness from the mind.

A teacher is better than two books. – German Proverb

Learning anything new in a group is always more beneficial than individual learning. Learning provides us with an identity. Once we realise this identity, we need to move beyond the Self. All educational efforts would be futile if it is not possible to learn from others.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. – Albert Einstein

A spark of imagination can inspire a person’s entire life. This is clearly visible in the lives of legendary inventors, poets, authors, artists, musicians, dancers and other followers of art and other fields down the ages.

Every child is, to a certain extent a genius, and every genius is to a certain extent, a child. – Arthur Schopenhauer

Just imagine a child’s play. Children are not afraid to tap into their imagination to spread varied colors to their everyday world. You must first understand that, "one’s imagination is more than just that which creates our dreams and drives our creativity."

Perception alone is creation. There is no creation other than perception. Perception of a thing is its origination. Perceptions can also be highly subjective and biased by previous experience.

Perception allows us to make meanings, draw inferences and take appropriate actions. It also arouses emotions. Perception through the sense organs is indeed wondrous.

Our mind has the capacity to imagine. Imagination can foretell the future, based upon your beliefs and expectations. Imagination produces mental images and new ideas.

Highly motivated people often choose action-filled, goal oriented stories, careers involving a large amount of personal responsibility, initiative and personal risk. Highly motivated achievers find the strength in their motivation in the power of their imagination.

A strong imagination is needed to envision the future with clarity. Positive thinkers are people who believe in setting goals for personal achievement, which seem unrealistic at first glance.

Goals give meaning to living and are necessary to motivate you. Not having a goal is more to be feared than not reaching a goal.

If you want to be better professionals, you should try to increase your creativity, education, activity and experience. Creativity signifies a fresh start as self-expression in the broad sense. Potential for creative work will be good. Education is power and power should be a source of service. Educational responsibility means to respond to the moment.

Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity forces it. Experience is a hard teacher though. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

If there is a will there is a way; Goals are just dreams with feet on them. If you dream it, you can do it. No one knows what you can do till you try.

Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Your carelessness, not being alert and attentive becomes obstacles. Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you fail to focus on your goals. But when you listen to wrong voice you make wrong choice. An alert mind is not a problem; an unaware mind is. When someone tries to distract you, ignore them.

Every calamity is said to contain the seeds of an equal or greater opportunity.

Idleness is the stupidity of the body and stupidity is the idleness of the mind. – Seine

Don’t laugh at anyone’s dreams. People, who don’t have dreams, don’t have much. Give up the idea of ridiculing everything that is loss of seriousness. It is the man who does not know ‘what to do next’ that usually ends up in failure.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. – Richard Steele

Books and friends should be few and good. Nothing can replace reading habit. Regular reading habit helps and improves your knowledge. By reading books you gain confidence and become enthusiastic. Reading without reflection is like eating without digestion. Reading goes a long, long way in molding personalities, thoughts and human values.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. – Arab Proverb

Share your knowledge with others. An exchange of ideas could even set you off on an entirely new course. Do not try to press others to reveal more than they know. If you pry too far you never know what you will find and it is safer to leave them. You may have to give others time to think and compose themselves.

Cultivate friendship which will conquer all hearts. Friendship is a treasure, keep it with pleasure. Laughter is not a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is by far the best ending for one. Laughter is the light and lightens the world. One good friend is better than cash in purse.

Many of those, especially young enjoy their friends inferiority nature. Many often mistake humility as submissive and introvert nature.

Frankly speaking, good communication will serve any relationship. One of the greatest pleasures of life is conversation. You gain respect, communicating only through issue less topics. You become close, only by focusing on reflecting the good aspects of the past, which creates bright future. Kind words won't wear out the tongue.

Truly, frankness itself is never a problem. It is the bluntness with which your frankness is expressed that causes the problem. You might leave someone with broken heart.

Charm is more than beauty. – Yiddish Proverb

If you really want to judge the character of a friend, do not look not at their performances and actions. Indeed the intentions, will tell you the real character of that person.

Love and respect come from character and exemplary conduct. Conduct is observable behavior of a person but character is invisible from inside.

Criticism and destruction are of no avail. Learn to accept criticism no matter how much it may hurt your pride, since it will help you in so many ways. Bury your anger in constructive activity and never allow a rival to get discontent.

Negative words cannot be associated with anything that is enjoyable. Negative words can wound deeply, but nothing will break your spirit in youth.

Little words never hurt a big idea. – Harold Wilson

Never listen to one friend in private accusing another. Believe not all you hear and tell not all you believe. It is impossible to know anybody else’s mind just by their words and movements of their lips and tongue. Recognize people you live with might have their own perfectly good ideas and go their own way.

One who looks for a friend without a fault will have none.

Everyone needs to remember that no one is perfect, and everyone has shortcomings. What one must keep in mind is that, presence of mind to admit one’s errors or being able to cover them diplomatically is appreciated. The art of diplomacy must and do cultivate. Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.

Willingness to align with people is the key to gain the respect of people. You don't need strength to let go of something. What you really need is understanding. Only, by understanding the imperfections of people and accepting the same, perfect relation ships are built. A sense of humor would help in breaking the ice.

Observe the wise and clever people. They speak well of their friend, and say nothing of their enemy.

Learn and realize that personal contacts are extremely important. Broaden your horizons, expand your visions and you’ll see just how you can shift yourself out of an emotional rut. You will discover a new spirit in human touch and personal relationships.

The female mind appears to prefer learning from the experience of others while the male mind seems to learn from personal experience.

Nowadays, diversion to fashion became damaging, to self image and health of young girls. Do not yield to diversions. Some girls prefer dressing in unique ways, carrying a certain style to grab attention of others, and need of special identity in a crowd. When the norms are observed, there is an elegance. Elders should guide the youth tenderly, to adopt elegant style, to be healthy and happy physical personality. Parents must speak about something higher; tell the girls of their own glorious nature.

Irrespective of your age girls must know, “Yield to your people you will never be harmed.” The loyalty to your parents, or at least close association with whom you feel comfortable in your family, makes you feel emotionally secure and optimistic. Your emotional closeness will never let you feel isolated.

You come across some young girls, who do not have the freedom to pursue higher education in the field that they desire, due to family and social circumstances. They would have dug and buried their dreams in order to fulfill the needs of the family members.

A woman’s success and happiness is important not just for herself. Girls are still consequence receivers, and are not choice makers of their lives because of their over disciplined childhood. Be satisfied with what you have rather than yearning for what you don’t.

When you can’t have what you love, learn to love what you have.

Remember that ‘not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck’. You will feel happy when you have plenty to do. Education for career and money is no longer the only criteria to lead a worthy life. Your success lies in living a worth while life. Create your own world; you can live with a smile for having a cherished and blissful future.

Youthful energy has to be disciplined to rise to higher levels. Such energy can be used to serve others and to achieve spiritual growth and fulfillment.

The quality of life you lead is always the result of good intentions and sincere effort.

Energy and Vitality