Enthusiasm

 Achievers are those who are invariably motivated and activated by enthusiasm. They approach life with enthusiastic viewpoint. Enthusiasm turns your life completely.

The optimistic, the cheerful and hopeful people are the enthusiastic people. Contrast them with the pessimist, the sad and dejected once. You will find Enthusiasm is the one missing ingredient between them.

Sir Edward Appleton , the Scottish physicist who won Noble prize ,gives the credit of his achievement to enthusiasm. It is even above professional skill according to him.

Charles   Schwab says, ’’a man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.’’

At the beginning of any new project, the first comment we get is ‘’it just can’t be done’’. Generally people pull you down as they are not fired by enthusiasm.

An enthusiast may bore others, but he will never have a dull moment himself.

Arnold Toynbee said,’ ’apathy can only be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things. IN the first place an idea which takes the imagination by storm. The   Second ,   is a definite intelligent plan for carrying that idea into practice.’’

Being enthusiast is being fully alive. It is a sad fact that many of the people are living without enthusiasm.  . If one asks such people,’’ how are you? ‘’, the answer would be dismal. ‘’ I am existing’’.

 For such people life is a boring. They are sad souls, to be pitied.

Some people lack self-confidence so much that they make themselves small, like nobody. To have such a small opinion of oneself is to affront God.

The important fact is, one can deliberately change by making oneself enthusiastic. A method of deliberately transforming yourself into whatever type of person one wishes to be is the first step. Then   you decide what characteristic you would like to have and  then to hold that image firmly in your consciousness. The third step is to act as if you actually possess the desired characteristic. Then to believe and repeatedly affirm that you are in the process of self creating the quality you have undertaken to develop.

The problem of sustaining enthusiasm is often difficult for older people. But dogged pursuance is the key to it.

Huxley says ‘’carry the spirit of the child in old age’’. Spirit of the child is open eye wonder, excitement and zest.

‘’None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm’ ’says Henery  David Thoureau.

New goals and fresh objectives are the motivators of enthusiasm.

A man in his mid-forty’s, is still full of enthusiasm because he has the goal of family, job etc. The elderly mostly has no such goals .But now he has the time to choose his goals. To some it may be writing and to others it may be music.

I know of a family, who had to move from their motherland due to strife and land as refugees in an alien culture. But they not only survived but even the uneducated mother took up  tailoring job in a firm and rose in her line to such a height that the whole family pitched in and today they are well known in their field in that new country. What fired them to reach this height? A goal to reach and fired by enthusiasm!

The impediment to enthusiasm is a mind full of gloomy thought.  Hate, prejudice, resentment, general dissatisfaction with people, world conditions, discouragement and frustration form a heavy blanket over the mind. To recondition the mind, mental ventilation is required.

What is mental ventilation? If one allows dark thoughts, regrets and resentment to accumulate, one’s whole psychology will be affected. Therefore mental emptying at the end of the day is required. That is recapitulation of unpleasant incident that may have accrued during the day and reviewing one’s own mistake, disappointment, unhappiness and mentally drop them from consciousness  by saying repeatedly ,’’forget them’’  every day  and a day will come when you would have dropped them. Some people have apprehension of the day ahead everyday. So the only thing to do is to face the day with enthusiasm by saying to yourself that God is great and he has given you so much. Any problem you are facing will vanish if you keep saying ‘’this too will pass’’.

 Cultivating enthusiasm and not dejection is the key to achievement.

                                      Temper-Keep it with you ,no one wants it .                                            
                                                  
                                                   Lord Krishna in Bagwad Gita says,
                                                    Krodhaad bhavati sammohah
                                                    sammohaat  smruti-vibhramah
                                                    Smruti-bhramshaad  buddhi  nasho,  
                                                    bhuddhi  nashat  pranashyati !
                                      
 Chapter  2  , Verse,  63  meaning from anger arises delusion, and from delusion emerges bewilderment of memory finally leading to loss of intelligence.
Often we hear that the elders are more easily irritable and they loose their cool.I used to think that it may be because of
1. The physical discomfort because of aging like lack of sleep, getting tired
easily etc.
2. Due to diseases like BP, Sugar, Arthritis etc
3. Due to ego inflicted problems.
For example a retired officer in any cadre suddenly after retirement finds the difference in the level of respect he used to get then and now, frustrates himself and vents up at wrong places.
It happens even to a normal housewife who suddenly finds out that the attention of her children suddenly gets divided when they get married or move out to live independent  

So I started reading more on the subject and I want to share some of my findings and thoughts with you...

The belief that the pent up feelings causes pressure and heart attacks and it's healthy to let off steam no longer holds up. Studies show that outbursts ; actually augments anger.
Frequent  angry bursts escalates health causing cancer, heart diseases etc.

The people who suppress their outbursts and those who express their anger invite health problems with equal veracity.


''The heart rate and blood pressure increase and the system reeves up
too fast ,just like when a car is accelerated than what is necessary.''
Say Dr.Brian Baker., a cardiac psychiatrist.

Angry women were found to be four times more likely to have high
cholesterol and become overweight than the calmer once. The angry men are twice the risk of stroke than the laid back one. Thus either sex is not spared.

Anger prompts the pit pouring of stress hormones, which cause heart rate and blood pressure to rise. An excess of these hormones cause damage to arteries and heart muscles and make the heart beat irregularly. They can constrict blood vassals, disrupting plaque that  block an artery, causing a heart attack or stroke.
20% of us have angry personality and 20% are easy going. the rest fall
somewhere in the middle.

How do we know what kind of personality we are?
Chronically angry people tend to be more depressed, sad and anxious. They are prone to being aggressive, cynical, and suspicious of other people's intentions. Says another specialist .So we need to deal with our anger and at the same time do not get tensed suppressing the feelings. 
But if blowing your top and suppressing it, both are bad, then the question arises what's the healthy alternative?
Invariably everyone suggests the diversion of the mind as the best solution.Several simple methods are preached  some of them  sound childish.But what is wrong as long as we do not have to take any pills etc.
A few are listed below. Select the best one which suits you
1. When in a spot and your temper rises try to leave the place quietly .
2. Count ten mentally with deep breath...
3. Go for a walk.
4. Make an excuse get up go and have a glass of cold water
This gives you a few minutes to calm down and regain perspective. 
A tougher method is shifting your anger from heart to head. Ask yourself
''What made me angry? Why do I feel this way?Is my anger justified? Was blowing my top worth it?''
Keep reminding yourself that we seniors are supposed to be the role model to the society. These may  sound very western and very psychiatric.What does our spirituality teach us?
1. Meditation to calm down the mind.
2. Pranayama to control anxiety.
3. Yoga to unite the healthy body and healthy mind.

 Hear is Swami Anubhavanadaji’s formula-

When you are about to get angry, instigated by others try these.
“Bade ko aadar do,Chote ko maaph karo”. Meaning, respect  them if they are your elders as they have the right to err. Pardon the youngsters as they are erring because of ignorance.    
Why is it necessary for us to hold our temper?
1.Getting angry always causes more damage in the elders  like a heart attack ,stroke etc and may make one totally dependent on others.
2.People will tend to isolate and push one to loneliness.

 So friends, the results of my finding is that Anger and temper are self inflicted wounds for which the ointments is within ourselves.

It is unfortunate that the habit of maintaining a diary has vanished otherwise each one can find out at the end of the year how many times he/she has lost temper and whether it was all worth it!!!  

                                         Happiness and bliss {Compiled from various sources}

  Many times we conclude that we are in bliss. But do we know what bliss is?

The dictionary meaning of bliss is ‘the joy of extreme happiness’’ a condition of supreme well being and good spirit.

In these modern times, you ask a person “what is the meaning of life?”  Getting happiness” is the prompt reply. Today there is such a big emphasis on being happy. We have movies regarding the subject and commercials are almost exclusively about happiness. Every commercial tells you that you will be happy as soon as you buy their product. We even have books on the subject of how to achieve the magnificent state that happiness is. Our constant obsession with happiness is very much reflected from photographs. When someone is to take a portraitor a selfie , it’s important for us to smile and look happy, in order for others to see how happy we are. Happiness has become something prestigious.

What is happiness? The happiness that is being preached by media is about being content. When you are happy you are satisfied with your life, and how it has turned out. The happy man today is shown as someone with a good career, having a pretty good income of money, have a loving and faithful wife. Also you have two kids, one boy and one girl that you live together with preferably on the countryside. Now, this man is according to the myth happy, But The moment you declare your happiness, you have nothing to strive for anymore. It is in man’s nature to struggle, to fight against one self and to become a better man. We are not meant to be content, we are meant to improve our selves. “Happiness” is a false virtue. In fact it’s a non-existent virtue. It is not natural to feel a constant happiness as modern society’s myths claim.

I do believe in  short moments when one experience euphoria due to things as seeing beautiful nature. It is not something that is long lasting, something we are constantly told it should be. The only way we can be constantly happy is by distributing happiness. And for that one needs to look within and try to be better than what you are as a human being.

Many people don't realize , that money , wealth , fame , beauty and fashion don't make you happy. "Money doesn't buy you happiness". If it was so ,then Michael Jackson who was at the pinnacle of fame and having altered his looks should not have become miserable and take the help of drugs! Studies show that Lottery winners, once they have got over the initial rush of apparent well-being and excitement, return to their prior level of happiness or unhappiness within a reasonably short time.

Dalai Lama has said,’’I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy’’. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affects this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.’’

Although in external matters we are highly developed and continue to progress, at the same time it is equally important to develop and progress in terms of inner development.

 Man constantly craves and thinks of bliss.’’ If I get her as my wife, I will be in bliss’’. Think some. For most it is money, others success and still others sexual fulfillment.

But the search never ends. If a person has everything, still he wants some higher thing than what he usually has and so he goes after drugs, alcohol etc. For some few, spirituality gives them bliss. Here we are talking of spirituality and other mundane things like marriage in one breath. Why? The answer is given b

Under the influence of drugs like Ecstasy one gets the feeling of high, a feeling of light headedness and a sense of profound connecting to others, the feeling that one’s heart is exploding with love. It is akin to a spiritual experience. One transgresses the limit of our own being and self-consciousness to feel a part of something much bigger. Chanting divine mantra and kirtan gives the same experience.  At base level all our emotional and physiological feelings could be explained in terms of different biochemical combination. Taking drugs alters our biochemistry and so our feelings .The ecstatic state in spirituality is just as drug induced as taking Ecstasy. But in chanting or kirtan the drug is our bodie's own. This we realize only if we know yoga where body, mind  unite. The experience of bliss is a part of our physiology. We are wired that way. The mind translates biochemical changes into emotion. The endorphin and other receptors like neuropeptide in the brain make us feel good. Therefore our own biochemistry is the key to our happiness.

According to an ancient  'knowledge - known by its Sanskrit name as 'ayurveda' - there is a subtle biochemical substance known as OJAS that is responsible for the experience of joy, exhilaration and happiness in the human mind-body system.

That amazing meal you had at that restaurant, which filled your senses with delight and exposed you to amazing new flavors, can certainly be described as bringing you happiness because of endorphin. The same goes to for any spiritual experience.

     By looking at American society today, one would think that there is a massive epidemic of OJAS deficiency.  Millions of Americans are complaining of being unhappy and depressed—yet most doctors simply throw a pill at the problem!  They do not go to the underlying problem. Endorphin represents a category of peptides. They produce bodie’s pain and pleasure feeling. Acupuncture and massage can alleviate pain by the release of endorphins into cerebrospinal fluid. Exercise, yoga and running stimulates endorphin production and the resultant feeling of wellness. Pranayama and deep breathing have the same effect.

When we do pranayama, chanting or kirtan , it causes the body to make it’s own drug and  metabolize it’s own drugs which produce heightened feeling of well being similar to the drug Ecstasy , although the  health benefit of chanting, kirtan and pranayama etc clearly outweigh those of taking ecstasy. The mind is fooled and doesn’t differentiate between endogenous and exogenous drugs.

Our experience of bliss does not lessen because they can be explained.

Sat-Chit-Ananda is a triple consciousness. Sat is existence, Chit is consciousness and Ananda is bliss. You can separate them if you want to and, at the same time, you can take them as one. If one achieves Existence, then inside Existence he has Consciousness itself. And if one has Consciousness, then Bliss is there.

‘’To reach Sat-Chit-Ananda is a most difficult thing. Hardly twenty or thirty Masters have reached it and stayed at that plane, and hardly one or two can embody it. Some Masters have reached that plane and immediately came down because it was too high for them. It is much easier for people to reach the illumined mind or the Supermind, but Sat-Chit-Ananda is absolutely the highest. That consciousness is almost impossible to attain, even for the spiritual Masters. When we go deep within we feel these three together, and when we acquire the inner vision to perceive them all at once, we live verily in the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise, Existence is at one place, Consciousness is somewhere else and Bliss is nowhere near the other two. When we see and feel Existence-Consciousness-Bliss on the selfsame plane, each complementing and fulfilling the others, Not only can we feel it, but without the least possible doubt, we can become it. we can say that we live in the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, the Kingdom of Heaven is within us.’’ Yoga and the Spiritual Life by Sri Chinmoy
Man chases bliss like a lion chasing the deer and it eludes him ,not knowing that it is actually within him.I agree with the Dalai Lama .’’People in modern societies tend to depend more on machines and services rather than on fellow human beings. The consequence of all this is unhealthy competitions, envy, hatred, accounting for the problems, tensions and unhappiness in our societies today. This trend must be challenged and changed, by all of us, individually and collectively. As we all seek ways and means to find happiness and fulfillment in life, His Holiness calls us to reflect on the fact that there is someone else somewhere, very close to us, who needs our help in order to be happy too. Only when we succeed in making such a person happy do we become happy ourselves and find the fulfillment and satisfaction that we seek.’’
Happiness is short term, comes from outside .Bliss comes from inside and lasts long, it is the joy of being.

Happiness is something we crave for and get and bliss is nothing to crave for. Happiness  is a tiny piece of bliss .Bliss fills you with the reality of supreme and depends only on him who dwells within us.

    This article is a tribute to my revered father . I have come this far holding his principles tight to my heart and following them.

My Principled Father Mr.V.L.Rao.

On the platform of Srirangam railway station in Tiruchiraapally District stood a boy sixteen years of age.  A forlorn, awe-struck figure, who was thin, fair and emaciated .

An old man passing by saw this boy and asked him, “Where are you going Paiya?”

The boy looked the man straight in the eyes and said “To Bombay”.

The old man probed, “Have you informed your people at home?’’

Appukutti as he was called then replied, “I’m going there to look for a job. My brother-in-law will receive me. Only my mother and younger brother live here. So, they can’t come to the station. My father died last year.”

This young man was none other than Mr. V.L. Rao, my revered father, who rose to the position of Secretary to the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. In the corridors of Bombay High Court, a name to be reckoned with during his tenure there.

He left Srirangam with a ticket and five Rupees in his pocket. He had not seen anything except the temple town of Srirangam. He was going to find a job to repay the debts his father had accrued. His father had lost his job as a ‘pundit’. The boy had grown up in poverty.

In Bombay he stayed with his sister and looked for job. This was the time of British rule. There were not many jobs available and no vacancies anywhere. Very few establishments offering employment existed at the time. He located a temporary job as a clerk in the high court. He further qualified himself and got a permanent job and rose to make a name as a man of principles.

He was given three extensions after his retirement, which was a record at that time. He worked under Englishmen. This made him a disciplinarian and a stickler for time. He ran his household very strictly. He could not stand laziness. He was very methodical and maintained a diary of daily expenditure. He cleared his father’s debt to the last penny. He took good care of his widowed mother and educated his younger brother who later rose to a high post. My mother supported him in all of his enterprises.

He would help all his relatives in their time of need. People immigrating from his village to Bombay would stay with him until they found a job and settled down. He would return from office as late as 8 p.m., and then find time to teach typing and shorthand to his kids in need. He paid for performing the marriages of two poor relatives and a maid-servant, in spite of leading a middle class life himself.

He was very generous but could not tolerate cheating or bribery. He was very sympathetic and caring towards the poor and needy, specially the women and maid-servants whose husbands abused them. He encouraged poor kids to study and make a life for themselves by citing his own life. To give an example one of the maids had a spastic son. So he and my mother gave him nutritious  meal everyday along with egg .

He hated the habit of drinking liquor. According to him liquor was the cause of poverty and downfall of a person.

He was a believer but did not like rituals. He was against conversion in religion. He was more of a doer. He respected his wife’s religious fervor and helped her to perform festivals in grand scale though he did not believe in it. So much so that he performed all the festivals at home even when she was no more.

He practiced ‘yogasana’ including the headstand till the age of ninety three. Due to a fall he started practicing simple ‘asanas’ as he grew older. Till the time of his death, he did yoga and ‘pranayama’.  He was very independent-minded and forthright. Till the age of ninety he washed his own clothes.

He would eat only ‘satvik’ food and had only two meals a day and a light snack in the afternoon.  He never snacked at odd times. He was a good husband, and helped his wife with the household chores. He was a good singer too.

He was not a social bird. Instead of his going to other people’s places, he would invite people home. He was very proud of his children and believed that they would never wrong anyone. He was a very affectionate person. He would visit his children from time to time and preferred their company to a friend’s.

He had faith in our system of laws. That is the reason he took a neighbor to court for illegal construction, at the ripe old age of ninety five. He was a very alert citizen. He wrote letters to newspaper editors regularly on issues that concerned the public. To cite an example - it was his effort which started the 8 Limited bus route in Chembur, Bombay.

A father holds a very big portion of a daughter’s heart. Generally speaking, he is the parameter by which she judges all the males in her life. There may be exceptions to this rule however. The difference in age between us was four decades. But I never felt that difference. He was modern and ahead of his time. He had assimilated all the good qualities of his generation. He was 1905 model! He lived a full life of 98 1/2 years and had all the hopes of making it to a century - but for destiny. On 28 December 2003, he died a peaceful death after an independent and exemplary life. He had no sickness and was no trouble to anyone.

On the eve of his 99th birthday stepping into 100, a century on September 11^th, I wish to pay tribute to this great departed soul who has left behind six children, twelve grand-children and fourteen great-grand-children with a hope that they too would lead an exemplary life. I bow to him. Please join me.

                                                                                   

This article struck me as unique. I have added some points. You too can.

                                             

                                                 Happiness and bliss

  Many times we conclude that we are in bliss. But do we know what bliss is?

The dictionary meaning of bliss is ‘the joy of extreme happiness’’ a condition of supreme well being and good spirit.

In these modern times, you ask a person “what is the meaning of life?”, and getting happiness” is the prompt reply. Today there is such a big emphasis on being happy. We have movies regarding the subject and commercials are almost exclusively about happiness. Every commercial tells you that you will be happy as soon as you buy their product. We even have books on the subject of how to achieve the magnificent state that is happiness. Our constant obsession with happiness is very much reflected from photographs. When someone is to take a portrait of someone it’s important for us to smile and look happy, in order for others to see how happy we are. Happiness has become something prestigious.

What is happiness? The happiness that is being preached by media is about being content. When you are happy you are satisfied with your life, and how it has turned out. The happy man today is shown as someone with a good career, having a pretty good income of money, have a loving and faithful wife. Also you have 2 kids, one boy and one girl that you live together with preferably on the countryside. Now, this man is according to the myth happy, But The moment you declare your happiness, you have nothing to strive for anymore. It is in man’s nature to struggle, to fight against one self and to become a better man. We are not meant to be content, we are meant to improve our selves. “Happiness” is a false virtue. In fact it’s a non-existent virtue. It is not natural to feel a constant happiness as modern society’s myths claim.

I do believe in  short moments when one experience euphoria due to things as seeing beautiful nature. It is not something that is long lasting, something we are constantly told it should be. The only way we can be constantly happy is by distributing happiness. And for that one needs to look within and try to be better than what you are as a human being.

Many people don't realize , that money , wealth , fame , beauty and fashion don't make you happy. "Money doesn't buy you happiness". If it was so ,then Michael Jackson who was at the pinnacle of fame and having altered his looks should not have become miserable and take the help of drugs! Studies show that Lottery winners, once they have got over the initial rush of apparent well-being and excitement, return to their prior level of happiness or unhappiness within a reasonably short time.

Dalai Lama has said,’’I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy’’. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affects this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.’’

Although in external matters we are highly developed and continue to progress, at the same time it is equally important to develop and progress in terms of inner development.

 Man constantly craves and thinks of bliss.’’ If I get her as my wife, I will be in bliss’’. Think some. For most it is money, others success and still others sexual fulfillment.

But the search never ends. If a person has everything, still he wants some higher thing than what he usually has and so he goes after drugs, alcohol etc. For some few, spirituality gives them bliss. Here we are talking of spirituality and other mundane things like marriage in one breath. How is it?

 The Nityananda episode made me ponder over the human mind which talked about salvation and sex in the same breath.

Under the influence of drugs like Ecstasy one gets the feeling of high, a feeling of light headedness and a sense of profound connecting to others, the feeling that one’s heart is exploding with love. It is akin to a spiritual experience. One transgresses the limit of our own being and self-consciousness to feel a part of something much bigger. Chanting divine mantra and kirtan gives the same experience.  At base level all our emotional and physiological feelings could be explained in terms of different biochemical combination. Taking drugs alters our biochemistry and so our feelings .The ecstatic state in spirituality is just as drug induced as taking Ecstasy. But in chanting or kirtan the drug are our bodies own. This we realize only if we know yoga where body, mind  unite. The experience of bliss is a part of our physiology. We are wired that way. The mind translates biochemical changes into emotion. The endorphins and other receptors like neuropeptides in the brain make us feel good. Therefore our own biochemistry is the key to our happiness.

According to an ancient  'knowledge - known by its Sanskrit name as 'ayurveda' - there is a subtle biochemical substance known as OJAS that is responsible for the experience of joy, exhilaration and happiness in the human mind-body system.

That amazing meal you had at that restaurant, which filled your senses with delight and exposed you to amazing new flavors, can certainly be described as bringing you happiness because of endorphins. The same goes to for any spiritual experience.

     By looking at American society today, one would think that there is a massive epidemic of OJAS deficiency.  Millions of Americans are complaining of being unhappy and depressed—yet most doctors simply throw a pill at the problem!  They do not go to the underlying problem. Endorphin represents a category of peptides. They produce bodie’s pain and pleasure feeling. Acupuncture and massage can alleviate pain by the release of endorphins into cerebrospinal fluid. Exercise, yoga and running stimulates endorphins production and the resultant feeling of wellness. Pranayama and deep breathing have the same effect.

When we do pranayama, chanting or kirtan , it causes the body to make it’s own drug and  metabolize it’s own drugs which produce heightened feeling of well being similar to the drug Ecstasy , although the  health benefit of chanting, kirtan and pranayama etc clearly outweigh those of taking ecstasy. The mind is fooled and doesn’t differentiate between endogenous and exogenous drugs.

Our experience of bliss does not lessen because they can be explained.

Sat-Chit-Ananda is a triple consciousness. Sat is existence, Chit is consciousness and Ananda is bliss. You can separate them if you want to and, at the same time, you can take them as one. If one achieves Existence, then inside Existence he has Consciousness itself. And if one has Consciousness, then Bliss is there.

‘’To reach Sat-Chit-Ananda is a most difficult thing. Hardly twenty or thirty Masters have reached it and stayed at that plane, and hardly one or two can embody it. Some Masters have reached that plane and immediately came down because it was too high for them. It is much easier for people to reach the illumined mind or the Supermind, but Sat-Chit-Ananda is absolutely the highest. That consciousness is almost impossible to attain, even for the spiritual Masters. When we go deep within we feel these three together, and when we acquire the inner vision to perceive them all at once, we live verily in the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise, Existence is at one place, Consciousness is somewhere else and Bliss is nowhere near the other two. When we see and feel Existence-Consciousness-Bliss on the selfsame plane, each complementing and fulfilling the others, Not only can we feel it, but without the least possible doubt, we can become it. we can say that we live in the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, the Kingdom of Heaven is within us.’’ Yoga and the Spiritual Life by Sri Chinmoy
Man chases bliss like a lion chasing the deer and it eludes him ,not knowing that it is actually within him.I agree with the Dalai Lama .’’People in modern societies tend to depend more on machines and services rather than on fellow human beings. The consequence of all this is unhealthy competitions, envy, hatred, accounting for the problems, tensions and unhappiness in our societies today. This trend must be challenged and changed, by all of us, individually and collectively. As we all seek ways and means to find happiness and fulfillment in life, His Holiness calls us to reflect on the fact that there is someone else somewhere, very close to us, who needs our help in order to be happy too. Only when we succeed in making such a person happy do we become happy ourselves and find the fulfillment and satisfaction that we seek.’’
Happiness is short term, comes from outside .Bliss comes from inside and lasts long, it is the joy of being.
Happiness is something we crave for and get and bliss is nothing to crave for. Happiness  is a tiny piece of bliss .Bliss fills you with the reality of supreme and depends only on him who dwells within us.

                                                       Yoga and viveka[The elixir of life]

  

                             On the occasion of Yoga day , I would like to add my tribute to Yoga.

                   

                                  The feeling when one finishes morning yoga session is very blissful. Yogis are ready to take the day. An hour of concentration on our body and breath develops control. Energy fills you and day by day you see the change in you. It makes you feel exalted. That is why yoga practitioner rave over it to the point of madness. They feel like standing on top of the roof and shout ,''here is the elixir of life ,pleas partake in it.

                                It improves our posture which is the main reason for most of our problems. When the anatomy is not in its right position, it is constantly pressed like  one with drooping  shoulders or sits hunched.

                                   

                                  With yoga correction in posture starts and with it one starts breathing better. Learns to walk, stand sit tall. One feels healthier and the muscles get stretched. With this comes attitudinal change.

With asanas and pranayama one becomes focused in body and mind. This is Union[Yoga].this leads to calmness.

                                     Agitating thoughts or activity makes one restless creating tension in every part of the body and mind leading to faster breathing.

The pressure of work, commuting, balancing family and work and earning leads to stress. Stress's physical manifestation is inflexible muscles in legs, neck, back, jaw or some other area. One may not even notice why it happens. This further leads to poor sleep, anxiety, reacting and pessimism.

If stress persists for long, it leads to High blood pressure, cardiac problem, migraine headache, back pain etc. With yoga comes concentration. Concentrating on each part of the body while doing asana or pranayama is difficult in the beginning but it becomes part of you with time and one gets self-awareness of each part of the body.

                                           What are the obstacles to yoga practice?  Patanjali's  Yoga sutra give nine of them. Illness, dullness, doubts, carelessness, fatigue, distraction, wrong perception , instability and

  lack of conviction.

  How does one overcome these?

        By at least doing simple asanas, questioning it's basics, changing habits, following relaxation techniques like Shavasana, purposefully avoiding distraction, not hopping from one alternative medicine to other but following with determination etc.

               The results are bagful. By keeping to yoga regime every day, one will view challenge of life peacefully. For example one will notice that in an argument you take a deep breath and the stress evaporates.

It is a secular science of health, wellness and mental and physical discipline. It is not a religion and does not conflict with one's attitude. Reaction to situation and people change and one does things by being more aware. Simple things like how one walks and bends changes.

                Your relationship with others many times causes stress. By counting ten and taking a deep breath, negative reactions are replaced . We are able to distinguish between stress that really matters and one that can be shed.

                    A yogi wants to avoid ager. The same energy he is able to utilize for a better cause. A person’s senses sharpens; taste, touch, sight, smell and hearing all of them.

  I have listed some changes.-

                       1. One starts avoiding food that causes problem.

                       2.  Ones healing by touch ability improve. One can become a good Rekhi person.

                       3.  Any visual that causes agitation, one starts avoiding.

                       4. We avoid strong perfumes.

                       5. We listen to music more..

                            One gets Viveka [enlightenment ]  ,stress melts away.

                                    Rules for graceful aging

Aging is a natural process, is a universal truth. But the decline in physical and mental faculty with aging is also true. How does one face old age? Some people take it as an opportunity and enjoy life .Whereas others call old age a disease. Taking aging gracefully is required.

1. Develop and maintain a strong social support network of family, friends, and colleagues.

2. Develop a personal exercise program combining aerobics and weight work and yoga.Practice Pranayama, medition and relaxation everyday.

3. Take charge of your brain. Make an active commitment to learning and growth. According to research on lifespan development: IF you continue to use your brain and develop your intellect and if you remain socially connected and active, you can actually increase your IQ scores as you age.

4. Take charge of your financial future. Plan, plan, and plan. If you are single, don't count on getting married to finance your old age. You are on your own! If you are married, learn what is going on with your finances. If you are female, statistics say you will spend seven to fifteen years or more as a widow, depending upon the age difference between you and your husband. You will probably be on your own for a long time. Plan, plan, plan.

5. Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet. Learn to live on fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes as much as possible. Plan a few days a week that include no animal products, not even dairy.

6. Stay aware of the latest nutritional information.

7. Don't follow every kind of diet that is advertised. Take a dietician or Dr’s advice.

8. Remember that the pharmaceutical industry makes money from selling drugs. Read, study, and form your own opinions about taking cholesterol, blood pressure, estrogen and other "old-age" medicines. Very few long-term studies are available to show the results of these medicines. The industry does extensive advertising to the medical profession pushing these drugs.  It is your responsibility to read, study, and keep up with the truth for yourself.

9. Practice light to no drinking.

10. No smoking, no matter what.

11. Remain goal oriented. Regardless of your age, still set one, five, ten and twenty-year goals. Keep on growing!

12. Don't become more conservative than ever. Age is an attitude. Conservative is an old, stuffy attitude that allows life to pass you by and makes you sound old and boring.

13.Keep active mentally and physically to avoid mental and physical issues.
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14. Accept your age and reduce the pace of your walk.

15. Don't commit too many activities in a day.

16. Learn to say no for things that are beyond your capacity.

If you are approaching retirement without the best retirement income in the world, take heart. There will be more and better work opportunities for older workers in the future.

Quality aging requires that you embark on a new path in order to reap all of the rewards from aging that you can.