Concentration and Meditation - by Swami Sivananda

Concentration and meditation are the royal roads to perfection. Concentration leads to meditation. Fix the mind on one object either within the body or without. Keep it there steadily for some time. This is concentration. You will have to practice this daily. Purify the mind first through the practice of right conduct and then take to the practice of concentration. Concentration without purity of mind is of no avail. There are some occultists who have concentration. But they have no good character. That is the reason why they do not make any progress in the spiritual line.

He who has a steady posture and has purified his nerves and the vital sheath by constant practice of control of breath will be able to concentrate easily. Concentration will be intense if you remove all distractions. A true celibate who has preserved his energy will have wonderful concentration.

Some foolish, impatient students take to concentration at once without in any manner undergoing any preliminary training in ethics. This is a serious blunder. Ethical perfection is a matter of paramount importance.

You can concentrate internally on any of the seven centres of spiritual energy. Attention plays a very prominent part in concentration. He who has developed his powers of attention will have good concentration. A man who is filled with passion and all sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any subject or object even for a second. His mind will be jumping like an old monkey.

A scientist concentrates his mind and invents many new things. Through concentration he opens the layers of the gross mind and penetrates deeply into the higher regions of the mind and gets deeper knowledge. He concentrates all the energies of his mind into one focus and throws them out upon the materials he is analysing and finds out their secrets.

He who has gained abstraction (withdrawing the senses from the objects) will have good concentration. You will have to march on in the spiritual path step by step, stage by stage. Lay the foundation of right conduct, postures, regulation of breath and abstraction to start with. The superstructure of concentration and meditation will be successful then only.

You should be able to visualise the object of concentration very clearly even in its absence. You will have to call up the mental picture at a moment's notice. If you have good concentration you can do this without much difficulty.

In the beginning stage of practice, you can concentrate on the 'tik-tik' sound of a watch or on the flame of a candle or any other object that is pleasing to the mind. This is concrete concentration. There is no concentration without something to rest the mind upon. The mind can be fixed on any object in the beginning which is pleasant. It is very difficult to fix the mind in the beginning on an object which the mind dislikes.

Those who practise concentration evolve quickly. They can do any work with scientific accuracy and great efficiency. What others do in six hours can be done by one who has concentration within half an hour. What others can read in six hours, can be read by one who does concentration within half an hour. Concentration purifies and calms the surging emotions, strengthens the current of thought and clarifies the ideas. Concentration helps a man in his material progress also. He will have a very good outturn of work in his office or business house. What was cloudy and hazy before becomes clear and definite. What was difficult before becomes easy now and what was complex, bewildering and confusing before becomes easy within the mental grasp. You can achieve anything through concentration. Nothing is impossible to a man who practices regular concentration. It is very difficult to practice concentration when one is hungry and when one is suffering from an acute disease. He who practices concentration will possess very clear mental vision.

Meditation is the only royal road to the attainment of salvation or Moksha. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings and three kinds of Taapas (fevers) and five Kleshas or sorrows. Meditation gives the vision of unity. Meditation produces sense of oneness. Meditation is an aeroplane that helps the aspirant to soar high in the realms of eternal bliss and everlasting peace. It is a mysterious ladder that connects earth and heaven and takes the aspirant to the immortal abode of Brahman.

Meditation is the continuous flow of one thought of God or Atman, like the continuous flow of oil from one vessel to another (Tailadharavat). Meditation follows concentration.

Practise meditation in the early morning from 4 to 6 (Brahma-Muhurta). This is the best time for the practice of meditation.

Sit in Padma or Siddha or Sukha Asana. Keep the head, neck and the trunk in a straight line, and concentrate either on the Trikuti, the space between the two eyebrows, or on the heart with closed eyes.

Meditation is of two kinds viz., Saguna Dhyana (concrete meditation) and Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). In concrete meditation the Yogic student meditates on the form of Lord Krishna, Rama, Sita, Vishnu, Siva, Gayatri or Devi. In abstract meditation he meditates on his own Self or Atman.

Place the picture of Lord Hari with four hands in front of you. Gaze at this picture steadily for five minutes and then close the eyes and visualise the picture. During visualisation move the mind on the various parts of Vishnu. See with the mind His feet first, then in the following order, legs, His yellow silk cloth, His golden necklace set with Kaustubha gem on the breast, the earring, Makarakundala, then the face, then the crown on the head, then the discus in the right upper hand, then the conch in the upper left hand, then the mace in the lower right hand, then the lotus in the left lower hand. Then come down to the feet and repeat the process again and again. Finally fix the mind either on the feet or on the face. Repeat the Mantra, Hari Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, mentally. Think of the attributes of the Lord such as Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Purity, etc.

Meditate on Om and its meaning with feeling. This is Nirguna Dhyana. Repeat Om mentally. Identify yourself with Atman. Feel "I am the all-pervading immortal Self or Atman. I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman. I am Sakshi or silent witness of three states and all modifications of the mind. I am pure consciousness, I am distinct from the body, mind and Prana and senses, I am the self-luminous Light of lights. I am the eternal supreme Soul."

If you have contentment, cheerfulness, patience, unruffled state of mind, sweet voice, one-pointedness of mind, light body, fearlessness, desirelessness, disgust for worldly things, think that you are advancing in the spiritual path and that you are nearing God.

O Prem! There is a place where you will neither hear any sound nor see any colour. That place is Param Dham or Padam Anamayam (painless seat). This is the realm of peace and bliss. There is no body-consciousness here. Here mind finds rest. All desires and cravings melt away. The Indriyas remain quiet here. The intellect ceases functioning. There is neither fight nor quarrel here. Will you seek this silent abode through silent meditation? Solemn stillness reigns supreme here. Rishis of yore attained this place only by melting the mind in the silence. Brahman shines in native effulgence.

Forget the body. Forget the surroundings. Forgetting is the highest Sadhana. It helps meditation a great deal. It makes the approach to God easier. By remembering God, you can forget all these things.

Taste the spiritual consciousness by withdrawing the mind from the sensual objects and fixing it on the lotus-feet of the Lord, who is ever shining in the chambers of your heart. Merge within by practising deep silent meditation. Plunge deep. Swim freely in the ocean of Sat-Chit-Ananda. Float in the Divine river of Joy. Tap the source. March direct towards the fountain-head of Divine Consciousness and drink the Nectar. Feel the thrill of Divine Embrace and enjoy Divine Ecstasy. I shall leave you here. You have attained the state of immortality and fearlessness. O Prem! Fear not. Shine now. Thy light has come.

Practise regular systematic meditation during the same hours daily. You will get the meditative mood easily.

The more you meditate, the more you will have inner spiritual life, wherein mind and Indriyas do not play. You will be very close to the source, Atman. You will enjoy the waves of bliss and peace.

All sensual objects will have no attraction for you now. The world will appear to you as a long dream. Jnana will dawn in you by constant, deep meditation.

You will be fully illumined. The curtain of ignorance will drop now. The sheaths will be torn. The body-idea will vanish. You will realise the significance of the Mahavakya, "Tat Tvam Asi." All differences, distinctions, qualities will disappear. You will see everywhere one infinite, illimitable Atman, full of Bliss, Light and Knowledge. This will be a rare experience, indeed. Do not tremble with fear like Arjuna. Be bold. You will be left alone now. There is nothing to see or hear now. There are no senses. It is all pure consciousness only.

Thou art Atman, O Prem. Thou art not this perishable body. Destroy the Moha for this filthy body. Do not utter in future "My body." Say, "this instrument." The sun is setting now. It is drawing within all the rays. Now sit for meditation. Again have a dive in the sacred Atmic Triveni within. Collect all the rays of the mind and plunge within quite deep into the innermost recesses of the heart. Give up all sorts of fears, cares, worries and anxieties. Rest in the ocean of silence. Enjoy the eternal peace. Your old Jivahood is gone now. All limitations have disappeared. If the desires and old cravings try to hiss, destroy them by the rod of Viveka and the sword of Vairagya.

Keep these two with you always for some time till you get Brahmi-Sthiti (fully established in Atman).

OM is Sat-Chit-Ananda.

Om is Infinity, Eternity.

Sing OM. Feel OM.

Chant OM. Live in Om.

Meditate on OM.

Roar OM OM OM.

Hear OM. Taste Om.

See OM. Eat OM. Drink OM.

OM is Thy Name! May that OM guide you!

OM! OM! OM! OM SANTIH.

Courtesy: http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=640&format=html

Steve Jobs: How to do great work

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, You'll know when you find it."

- Steve Jobs 

How I start my day: Start a New Life Every Morning

OGYEN TRINLEY DORJE, His Holiness The 17th Karmapa 

We sometimes wake up fresh in the morning yet still go through the day half asleep.Our busy 21st century lives overwhelm us with a relentless stream of immediate tasks.We lose sight of how precious it is just to have a human life.This is an awareness that we need to feel in our hearts.I would like to share with you a practice that I call living your whole life in a single day. You can do this by starting with this thought in the morning: I am starting a whole new life.It begins right now.Initially,leave yourself a note at your bedside to remind you,and then slowly cultivate the habit of waking up with this thought.Your body is fresh from the nights rest;when you wake up with this awareness,so does your mind.Ask yourself what kind of person you want to be in the life that you will live today.Throughout the day,remind yourself that your life is happening right now.In the afternoon,check to see how your life is going and readjust as needed.A whole lifetime of possibilities stretches out before you every moment.This is the basic truth of interdependence.Conditions are constantly shifting,and what seemed impossible earlier can suddenly become possible.Every moment counts.Every action counts.A single kind act can have a positive impact on the future of many others you share the earth with.You can change the course of the future in any moment.Do so consciously,and the whole world will benefit.

As told to Nona Walia
Source: Times Life July 7, 2013

Self Knowledge: Sage Vasishta Educates Prince Rama

Swami Venkatesananda
Self-knowledge is not gained by explanations and descriptions,nor by the instructions of others but by direct experience.Whatever is experienced and known here in this world,all that is the Self,consciousness devoid of the duality of the experiencing and the experience.It is the Self alone that exists everywhere at all times,but because of its extreme subtlety,it is not experienced.

In all beings,it is the jiva.All activities take place in the light of the sun,but if the activities cease,the sun does not suffer loss: even so,it is on account of the Self that the body et al function,but if the body et al perish,the Self does not suffer loss.The Self is not born,nor does it die;it does not acquire,nor does it desire;it is not bound,nor is it liberated the Self is the Self of all,at all times.

That (Self) is unconditioned by time and space;how does it become bound Abandon these two false concepts that of bondage and of liberation,and live an enlightened life here.There is no liberation in the sky,on earth or in the nether world;liberation is but a synonym for pure mind,correct Self-knowledge and a truly awakened state.

The complete absence of all desires and hopes is liberation.Until one reaches this true inner awakening or Self-knowledge,one considers oneself bound and strives for liberation.Abandon these wrong notions of bondage and liberation.

O Rama,he who knows that all activities happen because of the mere existence of consciousness even as a crystal reflects the objects around it without intending to do so is liberated.They,who,even after taking this human birth,are not interested in such non-volitional activity,go from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven again.

Some are devoted to inaction,having turned away from or suppressed all action;they go from hell to hell,sorrow to sorrow,fear to fear.Others know the Self;blessed indeed are they,they have carefully enquired into the nature of the mind and overcome all cravings;they do go to higher planes of consciousness.

He who has taken birth for the last time now,is endowed with a mixture of light (satva) and a little impurity (rajas).Right from birth he grows in holiness.Noble qualities like friendliness,compassion,wisdom,goodness and magnanimity seek him and take abode in him.He performs all appropriate actions,but is not swayed if their results appear to be gain or loss,nor does he feel elated or depressed.His heart is clear.He is much sought after by people.

One,who is full of all the noble qualities,seeks and follows an enlightened master who directs him along the path of Self-knowledge.He then realises the Self which is the one cosmic being.Such a liberated one awakens the inner intelligence,and instantly knows itself to be the infinite consciousness.

Such is the normal course of evolution,O Rama.However,there are exceptions.For those who have taken birth in this world,two possibilities exist for the attainment of liberation.The first is: treading the path indicated by the master,the seeker gradually reaches the goal of liberation.The second is: Self knowledge literally drops into ones lap,as it were,and there is instant enlightenment.

Source: The Times of India, Speaking Tree 

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra is a bestselling author, educator, and holistic health pioneer who shares his insights in this inspiring article on personal growth.

Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease. And yet success, including the creation of wealth, has always been considered a process that requires hard work, and it is often considered to be at the expense of others. We need a more spiritual approach to success and to affluence, which is the abundant flow of all good things to you. With the knowledge and practice of spiritual law, we put ourselves in harmony with nature and create with carefreeness, joy and love. True success is the experience of the miraculous. It is the unfolding of the divinity within us. It is the perception of divinity wherever we go, in whatever we perceive--in the eyes of a child, in the beauty of a flower, in the flight of a bird. When we begin to experience our life as the miraculous expression of divinity--not occasionally, but all the time--then we will know the true meaning of success.

Now let's go over The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success and see how we can apply them in our lives.

1) The Law of Pure Potentiality

Take time to be silent, to just BE, Meditate for 30 minutes twice a day.  Silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. Practice non-judgment. 

This law is based on the fact that we are, in our essential state, pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is pure potentiality; it is the field of all possibilities and infinite creativity. When you discover your essential nature and know who you really are, in that knowing itself is the ability to fulfill any dream you have, because you are the eternal possibility, the immeasurable potential of all that was, is and will be. This law could also be called the Law of Unity, because underlying the infinite diversity of life is the unity of one all-pervasive spirit. There is no separation between you and this field of energy. One way to access the field is through the daily practice of silence, meditation and non-judgment. Spending time in nature will also give you access to the qualities inherent in the field: infinite creativity, freedom and bliss.

2) The Law of Giving

Today, bring everyone you encounter a gift, a compliment or flower. Gratefully receive gifts. Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation, and love.

This law could also be called the Law of Giving and Receiving, because the universe operates through dynamic exchange. The flow of life is nothing other than the harmonious interaction of all the elements and forces that structure the field of existence. Because your body and your mind and the universe are in constant and dynamic change, stopping the circulation of energy is like stopping the flow of blood. Whenever blood stops flowing, it begins to clot, to stagnate. That is why you must give and receive in order to keep wealth and affluence--or anything you want--circulating in your life. If our only intention is to hold on to our money and hoard it--since it's life energy, we will stop its circulation back into our lives as well. In order to keep that energy coming to us, we have to keep the energy circulating. Thus, the more you give, the more you will receive. The best way to put The Law of Giving into operation is to make a decision that any time you come into contact with anyone, you will give them something. It doesn't have to be in the form of material things; it could be a flower, a compliment or a prayer. In fact, the most powerful forms of giving are non-material. The gifts of caring, attention, affection, appreciation and love are some of the most precious gifts you can give, and they don't cost you anything.

3) The Law of Karma (or Cause and Effect)

Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others ensures the flower of happiness and success to you.

"Karma" is both action and the consequence of that action; it is cause and effect simultaneously, because every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in kind. There is nothing unfamiliar about the Law of Karma. Everyone had heard the expression, "What you sow is what you reap." Obviously, if we want to create happiness in our lives, we must learn to sow the seeds of happiness. Therefore, karma implies the action of conscious choice-making. Whether you like it or not, everything that is happening at this moment is a result of the choices you've made in the past. Unfortunately, a lot of us make choices unconsciously, and therefore we don't think they are choices--and yet, they are. If you step back for a moment and witness the choices you are making as you make those choices, then in just this act of witnessing, you take the whole process from the unconscious realm into the conscious realm. This procedure of conscious choice-making and witnessing is very empowering.You can use the Law of Karma to create money and affluence, and the flow of all good things to you, any time you want. But first, you must become consciously aware that your future is generated by the choices you are making in every moment of your life. If you do this on a regular basis, then you are making full use of this law. The more you bring your choices into the level of your conscious awareness, the more you will make those choices which are spontaneously correct--both for you and those around you.

4) The Law of Least Effort

Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others ensures the flower of happiness and success to you.

This law is based on the fact that nature's intelligence functions with effortless ease and abandoned carefreeness. This is the principle of least action, of no resistance. This is, therefore, the principle of harmony and love. When we learn this lesson from nature, we easily fulfill our desires. In Vedic Science, the age-old philosophy of India, this principle is known as the principle of economy of effort, or "do less and accomplish more." Ultimately, you come to the state where you do nothing and accomplish everything. This means that there is just a faint idea, and then the manifestation of the idea comes about effortlessly. What is commonly called a "miracle" is actually an expression of the Law of Least Effort. Least effort is expended when your actions are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love. When you seek power and control over other people, you waste energy. When you seek money or power for the sake of the ego, you spend energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment. When your actions are motivated by love, your energy multiplies and accumulates--and the surplus energy you gather and enjoy can be channeled to create anything that you want, including unlimited wealth. There are three components to the Law of Least Effort--three things you can do to put this principle of "do less and accomplish more" into action. The first component is acceptance. Acceptance simply means that you make a commitment: "Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances and events as they occur." This means I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. The second component is responsibility. This means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation, including yourself. This allows you the ability to have a creative response to the situation as it is now. All problems contain the seeds of opportunity, and this awareness allows you to take the moment and transform it to a better situation or thing. The third component to the Law of Least Effort is defenselessness. This means that you have relinquished the need to convince or persuade others of your point of view. If you relinquish this need you will in that relinquishment gain access to enormous amounts of energy that have been previously wasted.

5) The Law of Intention and Desire

Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment.  Make a list of desires. Trust that when things don't seem to go your way, There is a reason.

This law is based on the fact that energy and information exist everywhere in nature. A flower, a rainbow, a tree, a human body, when broken down to their essential components are energy and information. The whole universe, in its essential nature, is the movement of energy and information. The only difference between you and a tree is the informational and energy content of your respective bodies. You can consciously change the energy and informational content of your own quantum mechanical body, and therefore influence the energy and informational content of your extended body--your environment, your world--and cause things to manifest in it. The quality of intention on the object of attention will orchestrate an infinity of space-time events to bring about the outcome intended, provided one follows the other spiritual laws of success. Intention lays the groundwork for the effortless, spontaneous, frictionless flow of pure potentiality. The only caution is that you use your intent for the benefit of mankind.

6) The Law of Detachment

Allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are.  Do not force solutions - allow them to spontaneously emerge.  Uncertainty is essential and your path to freedom.

This law says that in order to acquire anything in the physical universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it. This doesn't mean you give up the intention to create your desire. You give up your attachment to the result. This is a very powerful thing to do. The moment you relinquish your attachment to the result, combining one-pointed intention with detachment at the same time, you will have that which you desire. Anything you want can be acquired through detachment, because detachment is based on the unquestioning belief in the power of your true Self. Attachment comes from poverty consciousness, because attachment is always to symbols. Detachment is synonymous with wealth consciousness, because with detachment there is freedom to create. True wealth consciousness is the ability to have anything you want, anytime you want, and with least effort. To be grounded in this experience you have to be grounded in the wisdom of uncertainty. In this uncertainty you will find the freedom to create anything you want.

7) The Law of "Dharma" or Purpose in Life

Seek your higher Self. Discover your unique talents.  Ask yourself how you are best suited to serve humanity.  Using your unique talents and serving others bring unlimited bliss and abundance.

The seventh spiritual law of success is the Law of Dharma. (Dharma is a Sanskrit word that means "purpose in life.") This law says that we have taken manifestation in physical form to fulfill a purpose. You have a unique talent and a unique way of expressing it. There is something that you can do better than anyone else in the whole world--and for every unique talent and unique expression of that talent, there are also unique needs. When these needs are matched with the creative expression of your talent, that is the spark that creates affluence. Expressing your talents to fulfill needs creates unlimited wealth and abundance. There are three components to the Law of Dharma. The first says that each of us is here to discover our true Self. The second component is to express our unique talents; the expression of that talent takes you into timeless awareness. The third component is service to humanity. When you combine the ability to express your unique talent with service to humanity, then you make full use of the Law of Dharma. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success are powerful principles that will enable you to attain self-mastery. If you put your attention on these laws and practice the steps outlined above, you will see that you can manifest anything you want--all the affluence, money and success you desire. You will also see that your life becomes more joyful and abundant in every way, for these laws are also the spiritual laws of life that make living worthwhile.

From The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, © 1994 by Deepak Chopra

Are you living the good life?

NONA WALIA

Everyone is in pursuit of a good life. But what exactly constitutes a good life? Luxury trimmings, big money, snazzy cubicles, fancy duplexes, BMWs, designer clothes, desirable BMI et al does make one happy for a while; but are they assurances of a happy and fulfilling life in the long run? Psychology Today reports that people who enjoy close ties with friends and family are happier and have fewer health problems than those who don't. These people are more resilient to the stress of our times and with hurdles in their in a far better way. In short, la dolce vita isn't just about material possessions. A recent research at Washington University,St Louis, also indicates the same. Based on years of research, the experts came to the same conclusion: Happiness isn't about money or success. What is it all about then? 

For Ria Chakraborty, housewife, happiness is all about Kolkata monsoons. "People complain about the traffic and the clogged drains but pouring rain is just beautiful to watch. It lifts my mood," she says. Ajit Sharma, a Pune-based software engineer, who stays at a boy's hostel, says, "Everyone is on their own. But when I come back from work, and my friend makes me a cup of tea and sits down to chat with me... that makes me happy. He is busy too but he finds the time to ask. It's heartening, makes me feel good at the end of the day even if it has been shitty." Suchana Sarkar, a Delhi-based marketing professional, says, "Talking till I get breathless makes me happy. As soon as I come back, I have to share my day's stories with my friend or my roommate. I feel a void if I don't get to do that." 

You may think these are momentary pleasures, but it's these small things that make people most happy. Life guru Robin Sharma says, "Ultimately, life goes by in a blink. Material possessions aren't the only route to happiness. Life is a skill. And like any other skill, once you know the ground rules and make time to practise, you can get better. One has to engage in life and live it fully. When you near the end, you shouldn't be left with regret of a life half-lived." 

The next logical question would be: how does one understand whether he or she is leading a good life? In his website, another guru of good living, Jamison Fox, asks a few fundamental questions to make people conscious of the kind of lives they are living. Would you like to be happier, healthier, wealthier, or make the world a better place, he asks. "Impressing others, advancing your career will not give you a very satisfied life. Living a good life is about being happy with what you have, and pursuing your dreams at the same time," says Fox. 

Naysayers may still disagree. They may say that money solves most problems in life. It definitely gives you comfort. That's unchallenged, but the problem is that the pursuit of money is often confused with the pursuit of happiness and vice-versa. 

A team of researchers led by Jordi Quoidbach, from the department of psychology at Harvard University, reported in Psychological Science magazine that wealth does grant us opportunities to purchase many things, but it simultaneously impairs our ability to enjoy them. 

BK Shivani, a Rajyoga meditation teacher, asks, "Why do you go to work? To get the money to pay the bills, buy the food and clothes etc.? That's fine. But why do you want more money than you need? To buy the bigger car because you think these things will make you happy. But are you?" 

Life coach Rohini Singh, also the author of The Only Way Out is Within, says, "Money is a medium, an energy. There are people who have an abundance of it but they still feel empty. They often find themselves wo n d e r i n g what's missing. The answer is happiness. Everyone needs to add to the external factors of well-being. People need to have a sense of purpose, spiritual practice, stillness, time to just be. To live life in gratitude, not giving energy to critics or negativity, going outside the comfort zone to help others gives you the kind of happiness you never hoped to achieve." 

New age guru Deepak Chopra believes becoming more conscious makes people more successful in every sphere of life. "People tend to approach life on a day-today basis, doing three things: Following a set routine; coping with challenges as and when they come up; and fulfilling shortterm desires. By and large, it's routine that dominates. Even the thoughts we have today are generally the same thoughts we had yesterday. The hidden potential in all of us that doesn't get expressed lacks in only one place: your awareness. As you open your awareness, life opens its innumerable possibilities," he says. 

London-based industrialist Bina Goenka believes a good life is about creating one's own parameters of happiness. "You have to understand what drives you as an individual, what inspires the people you work with and how to grow as a unit. Focus on what you love, the restwill take care of itself." 

In his book, Ten Golden Rules on Living the Good Life, Michael Soupios writes, "Worry only about the things that are in your control. Keep your life simple. Seek calming pleasures. Avoid excess and live life in harmony and balance." 

Author, entrepreneur and lifestyle innovator Jonathan Fields, produces a TV show called The Good Life Project that draws inspiration from the real life experiences of acclaimed entrepreneurs, artistes, authors and thought leaders. Says Fields, "A few years ago, I would have said, 'I need to get a good life'. Now, I've come to believe that once your basic needs are covered, life welllived is more about mindset than circumstances. Happiness is not a place you arrive at, it's a lens you bring to the place you are standing right now."

Times of India, Jan 6, 2013

Let’s resolve to stay healthy this year!

This new year, let us all resolve to live healthy. HT spoke to several health experts about certain changes that people can make to their daily routine to help them lead a disease-free life in the long run. One thing that all health experts unanimously agreed upon that everyone, despite age and gender, must begin their day with exercise.

There is no running away from it, no matter how lazy you feel. Having said that, it does not mean you are expected to exhaust yourself completely. Six packs is by choice, not by compulsion. Doctors say a moderate amount of exercise three to five times in a week is sufficient for a regular person wanting to maintain normal body weight and to build stamina.

“If you lead a sedentary life or consume junk food regularly, it is necessary to devote at least an hour daily on the treadmill to sweat it out. Exercising reduces one’s chances of getting heart diseases or other lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, significantly,” said Dr AB Dey, professor, department of medicine and head of geriatrics department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

“Higher levels of good cholesterol have also been found in those who exercise regularly,” added Dr Dey.

Smoking has to be deleted from your daily routine— not even one cigarette a day, which most smokers use as an excuse. Nicotine is the culprit. Recent studies have substantiated that light smoking is as injurious to health as heavy smoking.

Smoking is a leading cause of developing cardiovascular diseases as it increases blood pressure and pulse rate, along with decreasing level of oxygen in blood, tendency to form blood clots and eroding blood vessels internally.  

“One must know that smokers are twice at risk of getting a heart attack as compared to non-smokers, and passive smokers are no better,” said Dr Anil Bhan, senior cardiac surgeon at Gurgaon’s Medanta-The Medicity.

How about solving a few puzzles daily. Believe neurologists, who heavily recommend optimal use of the brain for it to remain active and healthy for a longer period.

Mental exercises could be of any form—trying to subtract quickly a particular digit from 100, writing your name on a piece of paper backwards, solving puzzles such as Sudoku or making use of brain games loaded in cell phones these days.

“Meditation, yoga and healthy reading habits are important for brain health,” said Dr Manjari Tripathi, additional professor, department of neurology, AIIMS.

 For your liver’s sake, look back and see what you have been eating: has it mostly been junk because you didn’t find time to prepare tiffin? This new year, let us resolve to add fruits and vegetables to our daily diet and cut down on eatables high on salt and sugar, drink alcohol in moderation to make our liver happy.

“Also, get tested for fatty liver when you get your annual blood test done. Fat in liver is an early sign of liver disease and needs to be treated early. Healthy liver prevents BP, diabetes and even heart attacks,” said professor Shiv Kumar Sarin, director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

Talking of preventive vaccines, gynaecologists advice HPV vaccine shot for women under 25 years of age. “Cancer of cervix is fast becoming common, so if can prevent it why not take early measure,” said Dr Debjyoti Karmakar, consultant, department of gynaecology, Medanta.

 Eyes being the most neglected by us, eye specialists say it’s about time we paid attention to the pair.

Most of us forget to blink for hours when glued to the computer screen. “Promise yourself that after every 20 minutes, you will take a gap of 20 seconds to decrease strain on your eyes,” said Dr S Bharti, medical director, Bharti Group of Eye Hospitals. “Apart from that eating green-leafy vegetables does help.”

Healthy Life FAQs

How much does one need to exercise to remain fit?

There was a time doctors advised strenuous exercise thrice a week, but with the kind of lifestyle changes that people observe these days, an hour of strenuous exercise is recommended daily. Usually, an hour of brisk walk is good enough but only if one sweats is it effective.

 

Does one need to avoid junk food completely to remain fit?

No one advises complete abstinence. A pizza slice or a burger once in a month is not that bad if you exercise regularly. The idea is to not put on excess weight that can lead to various non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes and thyroid.

 

Apart from obesity, what are the other risk factors for developing lifestyle-related disorders?

Smoking, erratic sleep hours, stress or anxiety and lack of exercise, coupled with family history, put you under the high-risk bracket. Once every year, thorough medical check-up after 30 years of age is recommended by the health experts. 

 

How much fruits and veggies should a person have in a day?

Four to five servings (one small bowl approximately) in a day is sufficient normally, but then it will also depend on a person’s individual requirement.

HT Dec 31, 2012

How to Control Your Mind? - 9 Easy Steps!

Prof. Pandurangan, V 

What is Mind?: 

What is Mind? Is it part of the Brain? The brain has got physical characteristics which can be visualized, touched, handled and is located inside the skull. There are certain brain control techniques. But what about the mind? It has no physical dimensions. But there appears to be some kind of relationship between the brain and the mind. 

When the brain is non functional, (say when the brain activity is blocked by deep anesthesia or coma), the mind also does not seem to function. Mind is not a gross matter - visible and tangible. The mind can not be seen. The magnitude of the mind cannot be measured. Mind does not require a space to exist. 

Definition of Mind: 

How to define the Mind? The mind is nothing but a “bundle of desires, thoughts, wants and expectations”. As long as a person is alive, he will have the thoughts, desires, wants and expectations. And these are continually changing, minute to minute and day by day. 

If your desires and expectations do not fructify, you are under stress, leading to anxiety, mental tension, frustration and depression. If you want to enjoy stress free life, you need to exercise control over mind. You can not under-estimate the mind powers. 

Mind Control Techniques: 

But how to control your mind? How to control your negative thoughts and desires? Why there is a necessity to control the negative thoughts and desires, thereby attempting to control the mind? Because, the thoughts and desires transform into words and words result in actions. When a person has a lot of negative thoughts, it may lead him to stress, anxiety, depression, negative actions and violent behavior. There are certain mind control techniques / mind control tricks widely practiced, such as Suppression technique and/or Outburst technique, for controlling the mind. 

In the Suppression technique, you are asked to suppress your negative thoughts and desires and not to manifest them. But the fact is, your thoughts and desires are like coiled springs. The more you suppress the coiled spring, the more pressure is built upon it. The moment you let go of your hand even slightly, the coiled spring jumps across much more vigorously. Similarly, the moment you relapse in suppressing your negative thoughts and desires, they come out violently. The situation becomes from bad to worse. 

In the Outburst technique, you are asked to let out your negative thoughts with full force in the open. If you are angry with somebody, you are asked to outburst your anger, say in front of a mirror or in an open park. Once your outburst is over, you may temporarily feel relaxed. But ultimately, this technique leads you to the guilt feeling, which in turn generates a lot of negative thoughts. It is a vicious cycle. These methods employ negative techniques and hence the relief becomes temporary, ultimately leading to more and more negative thoughts, stress, anxiety, cynicism and mental imbalances. 

Other methods involve the techniques called “still the mind” and/or “be a witness to your thoughts”. But for majority of the people (including me), it is very difficult to practice in day to day life, as only a few holy men / yogis can master these techniques. 

Substitution Technique: 

What I recommend and as well as I practice, is the “Substitution” technique. We should understand the nature of mind. As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, mind is the bundle of desires, thoughts and wants. As long as you are alive, your mind will always be with you. Your mind is always filled with thoughts and desires. You can not empty your mind in your day to day life. 

Suppose you enter your bedroom in the night. The room is dark and you can not see anything. Once you switch on the light bulb, the entire room is filled with light and you do not see the darkness. What happened to the darkness? As soon as the light came in, the darkness vanished automatically. You did not attempt to drive away nor suppress the darkness. You only put on the light switch. You enabled the light to come in, which drove away the darkness automatically. Similar is the case with your mind. 

Bring in positive thoughts to your mind, which will automatically drive away your negative thoughts. But the mind can not be empty. Instead of mind full of negative thoughts, substitute them with positive thoughts. When the mind is full of positive thoughts, there is no place for negative thoughts to enter. 

In fact, the phrase “how to control the mind” itself is wrong. It is almost impossible to “control” the mind. The right phrase is “how to regulate the mind”. By practicing the “substitution” technique properly, we can regulate our mind in the day to day life. 

How to practice the “substitution” technique in our daily life? It is not difficult, provided you make a commitment to practice them on a daily basis. There are 9 Steps to practice the “substitution” technique, which I will explain below. 

Step 1 – Keeping Good Company: 

There is a famous quote- “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”. Seeking and remaining in good company will keep your mind with positive thoughts. Consider a small example. You are all familiar with mineral water. Imagine that you have a 1-litre bottle which is full of filthy water. You are required to replace the filthy water with clean drinking water, but there is a condition. You can not pour out the filthy water first, wash the bottle and then fill up the bottle with clean water. In such a situation, how can you replace the filthy water with good water? It is very easy. Go to a stream where clean water is flowing. Just keep the water bottle, containing the filthy water, immersed in the stream. 

You will find that after a few minutes, the entire bottle is filled with clean water. How has this happened? The clean water f rom the stream has entered the bottle and driven away the filthy water. You have not done anything extra-ordinary. You have simply brought the filthy water bottle in contact with the stream water. That’s all. Now, compare the water bottle with your Mind. The filthy water can be compared to the negative thoughts and negative desires in your mind. The water stream can be compared with good company (in Sanskrit language, “good company” is called “satsang”). When you remain in the good company, the positive thoughts enter your mind and drive away the negative thoughts. It is similar to the light driving away the darkness in the room. 

Step 2 – Repeat God’s Name Often: 

Choose the name of God you love the most. Whenever you find time, irrespective of where you are, keep on repeating your God’s name mentally. (In Sanskrit, it is called “nama smaran”). God loves music. If you can repeat the name of your God in a musical tune (as per your liking), it is wonderful. This process will drive away your negative thoughts and emotions. 

Step 3 – See Good Sights: 

We should understand one important aspect. Mind can be compared to the CPU of the computer. Whatever we feed in, CPU processes it and gives the output. Garbage in – Garbage out. Quality data in – Quality reports out. The data to the CPU can be fed in through the FIVE input devices, such as the Keyboard, Mouse, Floppy Drive, CD Drive and Pen Drive. Similarly, our FIVE sensory organs, such as the Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth and the Hands are the input devices to the Mind. Based on the input information fed by these sensory organs, our Mind reacts. If you see only good sights and positive videos / movies, positive thoughts are developed in the Mind. If you see horror films and negative / filthy programs on the TV (most of TV programs have a lot of these), negative and violent thoughts are developed in the Mind. Read only good and holy books and the books on personality development. Avoid reading horror stories and negative news (newspapers have plenty of them). 

Step 4 – Hear Good Music: 

Tune your ears to hear only good and soothing music and sounds. As far as possible, avoid hearing bad and filthy words, heated arguments and violent shouts. It is better to move away from such places. 

Step 5 – Speak Softly and Positively: 

Always try to speak softly and positively. Don’t hate others. Avoid speaking harsh words. Don’t enter into heated arguments with anybody. It is pertinent to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s reference to the Three Monkeys – First Monkey closing his both EYES with both hands – Don’t see bad sights; the Second Monkey closing his both EARS with both hands – Don’t hear bad sounds; and the Third Monkey closing his MOUTH with both hands – Don’t speak bad words / untruth. 

Step 6 – Eat Moderately: 

Another important aspect which influences your thoughts and the Mind, is the type and quantity of food you eat. A subtler part of the food digested, influences the Mind and the thought process. Always choose nutritious food and eat in moderate quantity. Too much of food not only leads to obesity, but also leads to dullness of the Mind. Avoid alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and drugs, which not only spoil your health, but also adversely affect your Mind. Also avoid stale / pungent food. 

Step 7 – Smell Good Fragrance: 

Try to smell good fragrances, particularly the natural flowers. Avoid / move away from the place where there is a bad / filthy smell. 

Step 8 – Do Good Things: 

Always try to do good things in life. Whenever and wherever you get a chance to help others, however tiny it is, please extend your help. Avoid doing wrong things against your Conscience, as it will lead to guilt feelings in your Mind. 

Step 9 – Go to Good / Holy Places: 

Visit good and holy places. Whenever possible, make a tour to the country-side and / or Mountain ranges, where you can enjoy the natural surroundings. They will refresh your Mind and Heart. Avoid going to gamblers’ dens and other unholy places. 

Try practicing these 9 Habits earnestly and you will feel the difference. Once you learn mind control techniques and practice them effectively, you will always remain in a positive frame of mind, with equanimity and calmness. You can enjoy stress free living. Always remember:

“Hands that Help are Holier, than the Lips that Pray”. 

Courtesy: www.caclubindia.com 

Covey's success mantra

P P Wangchuck

Stephen R Covey, who passed away recently, and who can be called the guru of good habit lessons, has left behind powerful lessons in personal management and change.
 

Those who have read his book, 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People', will agree that the entire exercise behind it is to make one point clear: that we need to restore character ethic in our society.

For that, Covey's stress is on self-renewal, and he enables one to "square inner thought and outer behaviour, resulting in personal as well as public integrity."

Self-renewal is surely the most important aspect of keeping yourself growing and relevant. Anything that remains unchanged turns into deadwood.

That is why Covey calls self-renewal the best investment, and it has four dimensions: Physical, mental, social and spiritual. Physical renewal is what most of us do and it requires nutrition, exercise and stress management. The next goes to a higher level--- mental development, requiring one to read, visualise, plan and write. Social and emotional up-gradation involves service, empathy and love towards all.

The last but the most important one is practicing spirituality. It involves meditation, commitment and self-less service.

These are not mere leadership traits but a way to grow and be meaningful in life. Life, after all, is nothing if it is not productive and useful. As George Bernard Shaw said, the greatest joy comes from the feeling that you are being used efficiently and productively. "Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch that I have got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

American spiritual leader N Eldon Tanner too has similar sentiments, "Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth." Great words indeed for all of us to keep in mind and be useful, always.

In the words of Covey, one can be useful only if one can "learn, commit and do"; and again, "learn, commit and do…"

Courtesy: HT

Mantra for happiness: Be negative

Before you rush out to buy the next positive thinking bestseller, ask yourself this — is your search for optimism making you miserable? Dhamini Ratnam speaks to an unusual group that says, bathe in insecurity and focus on the worst case scenario instead of the best to find what else, happiness and success. 

I've seen people using positive visualisation to restart a car that's broken down," laughs Subhas Rao Mallya, a 48-year-old engineer with an oil company, and a self-confessed self help addict. A decade ago, as a practitioner, he wasn't laughing. His obsession with positive thinking led him to attempt to heal his aunt's pain from cancer using a technique called Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). 

Made popular in the 1970s, NLP is a personality development technique that uses verbal and non-verbal communication (like eye movements) to overcome physical pain or get rid of negative thoughts. 

The aunt's pain decreased, but when her cancer resurfaced, there was little he or the doctors could do to save her. She passed away in six months, "bitter that I couldn't help her," says Mallya. "I was disappointed in myself, but blamed her for not following my instructions. After she passed away, I felt like a failure." 

While that didn't quite put Mallya off self help, it did inject a healthy dose of scepticism in him, leading him to the same conclusion that British author Oliver Burkeman argues in his witty, thought-provoking new book, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking. Embracing the darker realities of life is as important as imagining a shiny, bright one. 

Burkeman, a journalist with The Guardian, is offering a radical take on how we look at happiness and success. "It (self help culture) has encouraged an allergy to the idea of experiencing negative emotions. There's now a lot of exciting psychological research that suggests that trying to stamp negativity out whenever it pops up, is deeply counterproductive," he says in an email interview. 

After speaking to experimental psychologists, terrorism experts, Buddhists and hardheaded business consultants, he argues that in our personal lives, and in society at large, it's our constant effort to be happy that is making us miserable. "Failure is everywhere. It's just that most of the time we'd rather avoid confronting that fact," adds Burkeman. He suggests you give negativity a chance to make you happy. 

It's not the same as being negative 

Simply put, taking the negative path means imagining the worstcase scenario. "When you're anxious, instead of struggling to convince yourself that everything will turn out fine, turn the question around and ask: what if it didn't turn out fine? We have a tendency to jump from some small event, say an argument with a lover, to the worst possible fantasies, like being rejected for life," he argues. By asking what's the worst that could happen, negative visualisation puts a limit on that limitless fear: things might get bad, but they'll never be infinitely bad. 

Sanjiv Dasgupta, a 36-year-old top management executive in a real estate firm in Mumbai, can vouch for that. Four years ago, the Indian Institute of Management graduate read the immensely popular self help book, Who Moved My Cheese? and was motivated to quit his job, simply because it was too comfortable. 

"I felt like the mouse that had gotten too comfortable with finding its cheese in the same place. I needed to move my cheese, take risks and push myself to adapt to change," says Dasgupta. 

For some, a plush job at an office 10 minutes from home, in the same building as their spouse, would have been the very roadmap of happiness. But Dasgupta's urge to change his life led him to take up a job that wasn't just far from where he lived, but also vastly different from his original one. 

The situation at his new workplace, he admits, isn't sound, and visualising a positive outcome — one which has him retaining his position — is a daily 10-minute exercise. Is he happier now?

Dasgupta pauses before answering. "Yes, and no," he replies. "But I'm glad I moved out of my comfort zone." 

It's because we must adapt 

Economist Bibek Debroy points out that the all-pervasive self help culture that's currently trending in urban India, is born out of liberalisation. An opening up of the Indian market to Western corporations has meant that young urban Indians not only have more money than their counterparts of 20 years ago, but also that their hierarchy of needs has moved up. 

Liberalisation also brought mobility and flux. "Whereas earlier, a working professional joined the public sector and stayed on till retirement, now there are several hops between jobs. This constant shift has generated a perceived need to improve oneself. We no longer feel that our University education can last our careers," says Debroy. 

Hence the upsurge in books that teach us to 'upgrade our skills', 'become better managers', 'deal with stress' and focus on lifestyle-related issues. 

"A lot of this positive thinking is a response to insecurity," agrees Burkeman. "Given the weight of change in the last few decades in India, it's not surprising that self help books are a hit in the country." 

While the self help industry in the United States is estimated to be $11 billion, in India, markers of its popularity lie in the details. Rhonda Byrne's 2006 bestseller The Secret has notched up to four lakh sales, while The Magic, which hit Indian bookstands in March, has sold 75,000 copies already. 

Sivaraman Balakrishnan, senior manager, marketing and communications for Crossword Bookstore, credits The Secret for setting the trend. "It did for self help literature what Chetan Bhagat did to Indian English fiction," he says. 

Priya Kumar, Deepak Chopra and Shiv Khera are the popular Indian authors in this genre, with Azim Jamal being toted as the new hot author with his 'Corporate Sufi' teachings, says Balakrishnan. 

Hay House India, a branch of Hay House founded by self help author Louise Hay, has sold close to three lakh copies of Hay's You Can Heal Your Life. "Each year it is reprinted at least four times. It has been translated into a dozen regional languages and the film by the same name has been successful in English and Hindi," says managing director Ashok Chopra. 

Motivational books form 25 per cent of the overall sales at Mumbai and Bengaluru's Strand Bookstore, says managing partner Vidya Virkar. Five years ago, it was 10 per cent. "The demand for New Age spiritual books has gone up. People are clearly seeking more than how to manage their workspace," she says. 

Being positive costs money 

Thirty-three-year-old Kanishka Sinha trained as an engineer, a chartered accountant and later completed a management degree. Last year, he launched a soft skills and self-awareness training company for corporate executives. As a personal coach to CEOs and high ranking professionals, Sinha charges 10,000 for an hour-long call, and 50,000 for a day-long workshop. And his charges are competitive. 

Personal coaches often charge up to 75,000 for a day-long workshop where they train ambitious youngsters on tackling uncertainty, gaining respect from juniors, and allaying deep-seated fears of not being respected. Very often these concerns spill over to their personal lives, as well, says Sinha. 

"Personality development is no longer about telling people what to do. We make them observe their behaviour, and give them feedback." 

This is perhaps the reason why psychotherapist Rani Raote is unwilling to trash self-help culture. "If selfhelp books make people examine their behaviour to understand why they do what they're doing, then that's a good thing." 

However, psychiatrist Dr Dayal Mirchandani, strikes a note of caution. The problem, he says, arises when self help masquerades as quick-fix solutions. "A lot of motivational literature sets people up for failure. We live in a real world. When positive visualisation doesn't work, it leaves a person upset." 

Which is what Burkeman means when he says research has shown that motivational books make people miserable, and visualising your goals can make you less likely to achieve them because your brain relaxes and gets tricked into thinking that you've already achieved them. 

And so, he offers the perfect alternative: give failure, pessimism, insecurity and uncertainty — the very things we spend our lives avoiding — a tight hug. "Positive thinking and goal-setting is motivated by a desire to know how the future will turn out. But, if you knew exactly how the rest of your life will unfold, it would be a kind of living death. It's only in situations of uncertainty that new and fruitful things can happen." 

How to be negative & happy: 

Burkeman's rules 

Situation 1: Your partner behaves cold think: 


What's the worst-case scenario? 
Apply: While at first, you may jump to a panicked vision of the relationship ending, leaving you sad and lonely, take a moment and vividly work out the worst-case scenario in a more rational way. You'll find yourself reaching a number of anxiety-reducing conclusions — there's no reason to assume anything is really all that wrong; there are actions you can take (like initiate a discussion) to resolve the mess; even if you did get dumped, you would probably find someone else; if you don't find someone else, you can still find happiness. The point is, you'd never reach these conclusions if you sought to persuade yourself that everything will be OK. Delving into the negative version of the future in fact, can help you feel better. 

Situation 2: You're procrastinating on a project 
Don't think: I need to be positive 
Apply: Conventional self-help wisdom advises you to find ways to motivate yourself and get the job done. But that actually adds an obstacle to action, by reinforcing the idea that you need to be in a particular state of mind, i.e, motivated, before you can act. The "negative path to happiness" instead leads you to realise that you don't need to feel like doing something before you do it. You can coexist with the negative feeling and act anyway. Often, the negative feeling disappears. 

Situation 3: you're taking a big life decision (moving to another city, pursuing a relationship, taking up a new job) 
Think: Let me embrace uncertainty 

Apply: We hate uncertainty so much that we are likely to take decisions not in our best interests, but simply to get rid of the feeling of uncertainty. If you ask yourself, "Am I taking this decision to get rid of a feeling of uncertainty," and if the answer is yes, beware. Of course, not every risk-taking decision is a good one. But a new job or relationship shouldn't be dismissed only because it leads to feelings of uncertainty. 


Courtesy: Times of India