“The Song of the Sannyasin” -by Swami Vivekananda

Few only know the truth. The rest will hate
And laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.
Go thou, the free, from place to place, and help
Them out of darkness, Maya's veil. Without
The fear of pain or search for pleasure, go
Beyond them both, Sannyasin bold !

Say—
"Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Guru Ravi Das: One of the greatest saints from the lowest class of the society

Today is Ravidas Jayanti

Guru Ravidas  (also known as Raidas), was born in the fifteenth century at Varanasi (Benares or Banaras or or Kashi) in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. His birthday comes every year at Puran Mashi in the month of Magh. His mother's name was Mata Kalsi and his father's name was Baba Santokh Dass. In his poetry, he describes himself as a leather worker, someone whose contact with dead animals would have marked him as an untouchable in Indian society.

Since early childhood, Guru Ravidas was very much inclined toward spirituality. He used to go to attend holy discourses and showed great respect and devotion to holy men. This worried his's aparents and they tried to divert his attention by engaging him in their family profession of shoe making and repairing. He learned the profession, yet his love and devotion for God continued undiminished. With a view to make him more interested in worldly affairs, his father got him married to Bagavati (Lona Devi) at an early age. But even then it didn't change his attitude or his behaviour.

According to Ravidass Puran Guru Ravidas had a son named Vijaydas.

From early childhood he was very much devoted to worshipping the real God. The high caste Brahmans created so many problems for him and tried their best to restrict him. Because of this he had to appear before the King Nagar Mal many times. In the end the King was persuaded and became a follower of Guru Ravidas. Guru Ravidas taught the lessons of Universal Brotherhood and tolerance.

Influenced by Guru Ravidas's teachings, the Maharaja and the Rani of Chittor became his disciples. It is generally thought to have been a younger contemporary of Kabir. According to some sources, Ravidas was initiated by Kabir's famous guru Ramananda. And some traditions assert that Ravidas was, in turn, the guru of the great female poet-saint Mirabai.

Guru Ravidas travelled quite widely, as his poems indicate a good knowledge of Hindi, Urdu, Persian and many regional languages of India. Guruji's followers are found in many states of India such as Uttar Pardesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.The two oldest sources of his work are the Sikh scripture, the Adigranth, and in the collections of songs compiled by the Dadu Panth. There are 41 hymns of Ravidas included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Ravidass & Meera Bai

Meera regarded Guru Ravidas ji as her spiritual Guru. In 15th century itself Guru Ravidas Ji propagated the message that caste has no meaning and its one's own karmas that decide one's fate.

The incidents of his life have always been inspiration to the people. According to one such incident, one morning Guru Ravidas's disciples were going to take bath in the sacred Ganges and insisted Guru Ravidas to accompany them. Guru Ravidas had promised to deliver shoes to one of his customers on that particular day. So, he was not able to join them. When one of his neighbors persisted, then Guru Ravidas uttered his belief saying that: "Man changa tow kathoti mein Ganga". That is if your heart is pious then the holy river is right in your tub and you need not go anywhere else.

There is a small chhatri in front of Meera's temple. It has guru Ravidas' engraved foot print. As a respect to her guru, Meera once wrote,"Guru Milyaa Raidaasji…."

Guru Ravidass & Kabir

Sri Guru Ravidas is associated with the other great north Indian sant, Kabir, in a story where a great debate between them is represented as a saguna versus nirguna (without qualities) devotion debate. They also show the aspiration to go beyond caste, though the translated poems, available from 'authenticated' collections, lack the bitter condemnation of Brahmanism and caste that can be found in Kabir and Tukaram. The Dohas and Bhakti songs written by Guru Ravidas have always tried to spread love and care among the people's hearts. Guru Ravidas also tried to bring the Hindus and Muslims together and this is evident from his thoughts which have been expressed in his songs. Guru Ravidass uttered his belief saying that "Ka Mathura, Ka Dwarika, Ka Kashi Haridwar,Raidas Khoja Dil Aapna, Teh Miliya Dildar", That is one can meet God in his own heart even if he does not go on any pilgrimage.

http://hmindia.blogspot.in/2009/03/ack-108-guru-ravidas.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Ravidas#cite_note-5

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Yoga for your eyes

Melissa Dcosta, Times of India, 26 Jan 2012

Yoga expert Shameem Akhtar shares exercises that can keep your eyes healthy 

In alternative therapy vision care assumes that the muscles of the eyes, like the rest of those all over the body, must be exercised to remain healthy. We naturally did that as children when we played games, like ball games, running etc. These involved complex eye movements. However, these days, with even children confined to the desk, TV, or media (computer, electronic games) that involve only a confined strain by the eyes the muscles within the eye socket are not worked out. Reworking them, even with gentle movements, including peripheral ones, can help contain degenerating sight. 

A few poses that may be safely practiced to help maintain eye sight: 

Trataka (Yogic focusing exercise) 
Hold your right hand in front of you. Extend the thumb, folding back other fingers lightly. Ensure hand is at eye level. Look at thumbnail. Then switch focus to nose tip. Back at right thumbnail, then switching focus to nose tip. This is one round. Rest your eyes. Do palming (see above). Do up to five rounds. Then switch hands, to do for left hand. Do palming after each round. 

Benefits: This helps with the eye's ability to switch focus from distant to close viewing. Most problems, according to yogic occur when the eye muscles slacken and do not accommodate this important skill. Unlike with reading a book, staring at a computer screen reduces our vision skills, creating eye problems. This exercise rectifies this. Plus, when done regularly can boost mental focus. It is also advised for insomniacs. 

Avoid: If having glaucoma or cataract. 

Palming 
Rub palms together. Place them gently on closed eye-lids so the cups of the hand cover the eye-lids. The palms should feel the eye socket. This would ensure that your holding the hand over the eye in a correct position. There should be no pressure. This is called palming and may be practiced several times during the day for a quick rest, not just for the eyes but for the mind too. If the duration of the final hold (of palm over eyelid) is lengthened and if palming is done several times during the day, it is believed that eye problems will be controlled. 

Benefits: It soothes eyes strained by an effort to see. Also, keeping the eyes in a dark, soothing mode creates a healing impact by tweaking the master glands, like pineal gland, which reacts to excessive exposure to light or artificial lighting by hitting sleep etc. In yogic eye exercises palming is seen as the most important of healing exercises. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/Yoga-for-your-eyes/articleshow/9149079.cms

Success is to do what you want to do, and to be what you want to be…

The first question is do you know what you want? Do you want anything at all? Do you really need that thing? The second is why you want that thing. The third one you should ask yourself is what's stopping you from getting it….to be what you want to be. Truth is now and here. You don't have to wait. Dale Carnegie rightly said "The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore."

Rāma Bāni Jan 22, 2012

RĀMA BĀNI January 22, 2012

Self discipline is very important for achieving one's goals. The amount of self discipline one has depends on self awareness and one's ability to live the reality. Discipline is difficult to master as it calls for attention to one's thoughts and behavior and willingness to sacrifice the lower goals for the higher ones. Unless a person has tremendous faith in himself, it is not possible to be disciplined. A person who sees himself in poor light, one who is often critical about his abilities, often comparing himself with others or looks at himself through the eyes of others can not generate enough self faith to produce the spirit of self sacrifice and discipline. Therefore, the key to self discipline is accepting and approving of oneself with open arms.

Secret of My Longevity- by Khushwant Singh

Sweet and sour

Coming on to 98 years and still earning more than I did in my younger days, people ask me how I manage to do it. They regard me as an expert on longevity. I have pronounced on the subject before: I will repeat it with suitable amendments based on my experiences in the past two years.

Earlier I had written that longevity is in one's genes: children of long-living parents are likely to live longer than those born of short-lived parents. This did not happen in my own family. My parents who died at 90 and 94 had five children, four sons and a daughter.

The first to go was the youngest of the siblings. Next went my sister who was the fourth. My elder brother who was three years older than me went a couple of years ago. Two of us remain. I, who will soon be 98, and my younger brother, a retired Brigadier three years younger than me and in much better health. He looks after our ancestral property. Nevertheless, I still believe gene is the most important factor in determining one's life-span.

Devise ways

More important than analysing longevity is to cope with old age and make terms with it. As we grow older, we are less able to exercise our limbs. We have to devise ways to keep them active. Right into my middle eighties, I played tennis every morning, did the rounds of Lodhi gardens in winter and spent an hour in the swimming pool in summer. I am unable to do this anymore.

The best way to overcome this handicap is regular massages. I have tried different kinds of massages and was disappointed with the oil drip and smearing of oil on the body. A good massage needs powerful hands going all over one's body from the skull to the toes. I have this done at least once a day or at times twice a day. I am convinced that this has kept me going for so long.

Equally important is the need to cut down drastically one's intake of food and drink. I start my mornings with a glass of guava juice. It is tastier and more health-giving than orange or any other fruit juice. My breakfast is one scrambled egg on toast. My lunch is usually patli kichri with dahi or a vegetable. I skip afternoon tea. In the evening I take a peg of Single Malt Whisky. It gives me a false appetite! Before I eat my supper, I say to myself "don't eat too much".

I also believe that a meal should have just one kind of vegetable or meat followed by a pinch of chooran. It is best to eat alone and in silence. Talking while eating does not do justice to the food and you swallow a lot of it. For me no more Punjabi or Mughlai food. I find south Indian idli, sambar and grated coconut easier to digest and healthier.

Never allow yourself to be constipated. The stomach is a storehouse of all kinds of ailments. Our sedantry life tends to make us constipated. Keep your bowels clean by whatever means you can: by lexatives, enemas, glycerine suppositories —whatever Bapu Gandhi fully understood the need to keep bowels clean. Besides, taking an enema every day, he gave enemas to his women admirers.
Impose a strict discipline on your daily routine. If necessary, use a stop-watch. I have breakfast exactly at 6.30 am. lunch at noon, drink at 7 pm, supper at 8 pm.

Try to develop piece of mind. For this you must have a healthy bank account. Shortage of money can be very demoralising. It does not have to be in crores, but enough for your future needs and possibility of falling ill. Never lose your temper. It takes a heavy toll and jangles one's nerves. Never 
tell a lie. Always keep your national motto in mind: Satyamev Jayate - only truth triumphs.

Give away generously. Remember you cannot take it with you. You may give it to your children, your servants or in charity. You will feel better. There is joy in giving. Drive out envy of those who have done better than you in life. A Punjabi verse sums up:

Rookhi sookhy khai kay Thanda paani pee
Na veykh paraayee chonparian Na tarsaain jee

(Eat dry bread and drink cold water
Pay no heed or envy those who smear their chapatis with ghee.)

Do not conform to the tradition of old people spending time in prayer and long hours in places of worship. That amounts to conceding defeat. Instead take up a hobby like gardening, growing bonsai, helping children of your neighbourhood with their homework.

A practice which I have found very effective is to fix my gaze on the flame of candle, empty my mind of everything, but in my kind repeat Aum Shanti, Aum Shanti, Aum Shanti. It does work. I am at peace with the world. We can't all be Fawja Singh who as 100 runs a marathon race, but we can equal him in longevity, creativity. I wish all my readers long, healthy lives full of happiness.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/219141/secret-my-longevity.html#

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything Rama Baan 120112

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence", said Robert Frost. An educated person respects the diversity of opinion. He enters into an argument with an open mind not to prove his point but to add a new perspective to his understanding of the issue. He has the ability to integrate seemingly contradictory ideas to form a holistic picture. This provides better insights into the nature of the problem and its complexities.

Vineet 'Ramananda'

Get passionate about life! Vinita Dawra Nangia

Sunday TOI, 18 Dec 2011

Why are some people bounding with energy, while others get exhausted just dealing with everyday life? Where did Dev Anand's indefatigable energy spring from?

 Say 'Dev Anand', and the first words that come to mind are "energetic", "evergreen", "forever young" -- epithets associated with the thespian through his life. When he passed away, headlines proclaimed that Bollywood's 'youngest' actor had died at 88!

Sometimes your own reputation can dictate the path of your life, and Dev Anand loved his evergreen, youthful, energetic image, working hard at living up to it. When he was diagnosed with hernia, he reveals in his autobiography Romancing with Life (Penguin), he  refused to get operated in India fearing his fans would think that the "'evergreen', 'forever young' man of unstinted energy, gifted by the Gods with eternal youth…..was but an ordinary mortal like them all..!"

Extraordinary mortal that he was, where did Dev Anand's seemingly limitless energy resources come from? What made the man tick and kept him going till the very end? Indeed, why is it that some people seem to have boundless energy, while others struggle to even get through daily life?

I would say the answer lies in one word – passion. And of course in what you do with that passion.  It is passion that spells the difference between existing and living life to the hilt, for passion allows one to plunge the depths and reach the heights of life. It gives an intensity and an edge to experiences that mere existence could never do. It stirs up creative juices and creates a buzz around you, thus attracting positivity and more action. This is what creates those extra reserves of energy that some people seem to possess.

Most of us lay claim to some passion, but creating the right resonance with it depends on how you choose to deal it. Obviously a passion enjoyed piecemeal and intermittently will not yield the same benefits as one that you allow to completely take over your life. Most of us do not allow ourselves to be swept away by our passion, allowing reason and an ingrained sense of balance and commitments to overwhelm passion.  And then comes that one man who allows himself to be subsumed, indeed totally consumed by his passion. He is the one who ends up leaving a mark …..his footprints in the sands of time. He is the genius, the inventor, the discoverer or the enduring artist…

 Dev Anand was one such man who lived his passion out completely. He gave in to the luxury of indulging his passion to the exclusion of all else. He lived to make films and said so openly, not seeing any reason to live beyond this indulgence. Family, friends, money – everything else seemed to take second place for him.  In his words, he always swam in a current that was both "energizing and intellectually stimulating…", "forever on a plateau of excitement and eternally riding the crest of an optimistic wave." In his autobiography, Dev Anand says, "I have been working ceaselessly for over sixty years with all my creative energies at my command, the excitement of creativity sprouting all the time inside me like so many seedlings, just the way they used to when I first launched myself…"

Surely this is the bottomless well that Dev Anand's eternal youth and boundless energy sprung from? With such excitement stirring you all the time, who needs external stimulants! Allegiance and dedication to a passion gives meaning, excitement and energy to life. Describing his passion bordering on obsession, Dev Anand says in his book, "…when I'm writing, time ceases to be. I forget all about thirst and hunger. The flow of words dictated by the onrush of thoughts is food and drink to me. My excitement is what sustains me."

If passion sustains and feeds energy, what are the factors that sap one of energy? Stress and depression do a good job of enervating one. Other energy zappers are lack of good sleep or food, too much work, grief, negative people, disorganized life, messy spaces, unfinished tasks, jealousy, resentment, anger…

A creative passion is always a good escape from the negative effects of all these enervators.  If one is in love with life and totally absorbed with one's passion, there is no time to regret the small stuff. Dev Anand never wasted time mourning a movie that didn't do well at the box office. His nephew Shekhar Kapur gives a rare glimpse into Dev's response to the box office disaster of  Ishq, Ishq, Ishq. "He was sad. Reflective. For all of five minutes. …..Ten minutes later ……his eyes were vibrant. His face excited. He was unable to sit down for his excitement." He had got an idea for his next film! Shekhar also talks of how money held no meaning for Dev except to be used for his films. Truly Dev's art was for art's sake, as his romance was for romance' sake!

"One of the significant traits of my character is that I am always in a hurry, and hate laziness of any sort," he wrote in his autobiography. "There is always a terrific pace bubbling inside me. I think fast, I move fast with my decisions. I talk fast and I walk fast."

That's energy for you! A constant flow that feeds upon itself to create yet more energy and positivity, lending beauty to all around!

Dev Anand signed off his autobiography and now, his life too, I'm sure, with the words…."Gaata rahe mera dil…My heart is singing, like it always has been --This is a beautiful world!"

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/O-zone/entry/get-passionate-about-life