I think I had written about this before, but it has gotten worse now. The clinic that me (and my family) go to, has initiated a ‘rewards’ program. Yes, being rewarded to visit the clinic – the more often you visit, the more points you gather. Which can then be redeemed against meds and stuff …
The west has sold meditation in a very superficial manner. Sit in this way, close your eyes and witness. And maybe an ‘Om’ or a ‘Shanti’ thrown in for good measure. What they don’t know is that meditation is a continual process. Once you start on the path of meditation, you have to make many …
सत्संगत्वे निस्संगत्वं, निस्संगत्वे निर्मोहत्वं। निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं, निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥९॥ Satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ, niḥsaṅgatve nīrmohatvam nirmohatve niścalitatvam, niścalitatve jīvanmuktiḥ from Bhaja Gōvindam, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya Through good company arises non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion; when there is freedom from delusion, the mind becomes steady and unwavering, from a steady mind comes liberation. This śloka is another …
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी |यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुने: || 69|| yā niśhā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti sanyamīyasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśhā paśhyato muneḥ What all beings consider as day is the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the day for the introspective yogi. …
Status-quo bias – The tendency for people to stay committed to current situations, for fear of changing to the unknown. Status quo bias is also caused by laziness, aversion to complexity, unnatural learning style demands, reading small print, etc. I have been reading this book – Nudge – by Richard H Thaler and Cass R Sunstein. The crux of the …
We underestimate our own capabilities. And by we, I mean everyone. Without exception. I have seen this in various fields – be it martial arts, studies or work. We think that we aim high, but we aim a lot lower than we are capable of. No, I don’t want to sound like one of those hyper …
There is no good and evil, only perspectives. Mahishasura is probably the first (and only one) name that comes to mind when one speaks of Devi Durga. Mahisha was an Asura. Asura is typically construed as evil, and is used interchangeably with Danavas, Daityas and Rākshasās, mainly because in English, they are all demons! But …
अयंनिजःपरोवेतिगणनालघु-चेतसाम्।उदार चरितानांतु वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम्॥ ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghu-cetasām |udāra-caritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam || 37 || This is mine, and that is yours – such thinking is for lowly minds. Minds that are noble and wise, think of the entire world as one family. Many of you may have heard of the last two words of this …
அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதிபகவன் முதற்றே உலகு. Akara Mudhala Ezhuththellaam AadhiPakavan Mudhatre Ulaku (1) The alphabet begins with the “A” sound, so does the Universe begin with the universal consciousness. अकारादेव निर्यान्ति समस्तान्यक्षराणि च ।चराचरप्रपञ्चोऽय मीश्वरादेव जायते ॥ (१) Tiruvalluvar begins with an invocation to God, the universal consciousness, the supreme being. The first 10 couplets …
Eid is celebrated across the Gulf today. And so we decided that it’s time to pay a visit to the divine. We have a temple at home, so prayed there first. Then trudged down to the Gurudwara at Jebel Ali, where we prayed and had the langar. Finally, walked across to the cluster of churches …
